A Moment Too Late
by Illeana Starbright
Summary: The Ellis sisters were living their lives in a small town in Iowa when a ghost with a hook, a string of murders, and the Winchesters both come to town. And they're about to recognize the truth that when it comes to the supernatural extra help always comes a moment too late. Season One AU
1. Hookman

_Before we start this I want to warn you that the chapters will probably be monsters seeing that I am trying to fit an entire episode into each chapter (though if they get over five thousand words I will consider chopping them into two parts). I own nothing of Supernatural you recognize. Pictures of Savannah, Leonara, and Kiran are on my profile. Enjoy and please oh please review!_

* * *

_Akeny, Iowa_

"You're awfully happy tonight."

Savannah Ellis ignored her youngest sister in favor or slipping on dangling golden earrings. Kiran Ellis sighed heavily and flopped bonelessly on the couch. There was a few seconds of silence before she sighed pointedly again and reached for the television remote, turning it on. "What?" Savannah asked after a moment. Kiran replied by turning up the sound on the news program she was watching until the noise level was almost intolerable. Savannah groaned in frustration and reached over the back of the couch to snatch the remote from her sister's stomach, flipping the television off. "What?!" she snapped and Kiran growled.

"_I said_, you're awfully happy tonight," she ground out.

"So what?" Savannah snarled. "Aren't I allowed to be happy?"

"No," Kiran replied, feeling petty.

"Arguing again?" a mild voice interjected before the conversation between the two sisters could degrade into blows. The girl who entered had long golden curls draping over the shoulder of a white button up blouse and several school books tucked under one arm.

"No," both Savannah and Kiran chimed. Savannah turned back to the mirror and Kiran flipped the TV back on, turning the volume to a more manageable level. The golden haired newcomer let out a world weary sigh and snatched the bobby pins out of Savannah's hands.

"Hey!" Savannah complained but the newcomer had already moved on to steal the remote from Kiran and flip off the TV.

"Not again," Kiran moaned.

"Now," the golden haired girl say. "What were you arguing about."

"Nothing," Kiran said stubbornly. "I had just remarked on the fact that she was strangely happy tonight and she snapped at me."

"After you turned the television up to an intolerable level just to get my attention and tell me what you'd already said," Savannah shot back.

"What?" Kiran said sharply. "Like you don't know what I meant by that. You're using your gifts to have Rich cheat on Lori Sorensen."

"Why wouldn't I?" Savannah shot back. "Everyone's like Lori is such a sweet little angel. Lori's a b-"

"Savannah," the golden haired girl said in warning and Savannah bit off the cuss word.

"I'm going out," Savannah announced and huffed off.

"Not with Rich," Kiran called after Savannah. "He's out with Lori." The door slammed pointedly and Kiran snorted. "Can I have the remote back Lee darling?"

Leonara Ellis, the middle child of the Ellis family, sighed again and handed Kiran the remote. "Knock yourself out."

"No, no,no," Kiran said, shaking her head in mock gravity. "Momma taught me not to drink myself into a stupor." Leonara groaned and walked out of the room as Kiran turned on the television. Three hours later she came back to see a headline on television.

"Oh my lord," Leonara gasped, reaching over the back of the couch to shake her younger sister. "Kiran wake up!"

"Wha-" Kiran mumbled sleepily.

"Look," Leonara said, pointing to the TV.

* * *

They attended Rich's funeral the next day. Leonara sat in the front on one side of Lori and their friend Taylor sat on the other side. Kiran sat in the back of the church glaring at Savannah's perfectly done hair. It was only half way through the funeral and Savannah was practically sitting on some guy's lap. Kiran's foot began tapping impatiently on the floor. The service dragging on and on. It was almost over when the door flew open and then banged closed. Almost everyone turned to look as Reverend Sorensen continued on.

Most everyone turned back to the front but Kiran continued staring toward the back. The two guys were handsome enough to catch her attention. They would have caught Savannah's attention had she not been now sitting on the lap of her newest conquest. Kiran knew he was already addicted to her oldest sister. Literally addicted.

A year and a half ago their mother Caitlyn Ellis, was killed by some kind of demon for her power. Caitlyn had been able to control water. The demon had wanted to use her power but in the end their mother had walked off a cliff. Their father had died two months later hunting the thing that had killed their mother. The girls had inherited their own forms of their mother's power.

Savannah was addictive, literally. She could attract any man she wanted and with one touch of her skin they were constantly drawn to her. That was how she had gotten Rich, partially. That was also the reason Savannah hated Lori. Because Rich was so in love with Lori that he refused to leave her, even for Savannah.

Leonara was a ghost whisperer. She could speak to spirits of any kind. The question was always whether or not they would talk back. She could also scan someone's mind if they let her. She used the second power to connect with her sisters and keep tabs on them. Kiran was her twin and also had two abilities. The first was to turn invisible which happened accidentally sometimes when she was scared or stressed. The second was to shield herself from flying potentially dangerous objects. Pillows and other things that wouldn't harm her was a no go.

The guys who had walked into the middle of a funeral looked enough alike to brothers. The taller of the two had brown hair that he wore a little longer. The shorter had more of a military haircut. Both were strong enough and well built. Together they were enough to turn female heads. Kiran looked up toward Leonara in the front row, not at all surprised when she found her twin looking back at her. Kiran flicked her head back towards the two men and Leonara nodded once. The moment the Reverend finished his funeral eulogy they both stood and walked out together. Savannah joined them moments later, her newest puppy dog staring after her with pitiful eyes. Kiran glanced at Leonara who nodded. It was game time.

"So Savannah," Kiran drawled. "Why don't you say your apologies to Lori before you go back to sucking face with your newest pet?"

"Well what do you know?" Savannah huffed and Leonara let out one of her typical long suffering sighs.

"Really you two," she said condescendingly. "At a funeral?" Kiran huffed and folded her arms over her chest. Savannah turned and stomped off toward Lori. It took every ounce of self control Kiran had not to bust out laughing when Savannah interjected herself between one of the newcomers and Lori.

"Bingo," she said cheerfully. "Now time for phase two."

"You take the shorter one. I've got this one," Leonara said and Kiran nodded already heading towards the church. Inside the semi gloom Reverend Sorensen was speaking to the newcomer, rambling on and on about church groups in the area and so on.

"Hello Reverend," Kiran called as cheerfully as she could manage, waving across the room at him.

"Good afternoon Kaia," he called back, using the nickname Lori had come up with for Kiran when she and her sisters had first been there. "I saw you hiding in the back earlier and was wondering if you'd come say hello."

"I wasn't hiding," Kiran protested cheerfully. "I was just sitting in the back hoping that if I fell asleep you wouldn't notice."

"Long night?" the Reverend questioned and Kiran nodded.

"They have me working swing shift as a paramedic," she said. "Two in the afternoon till midnight every other day." Then she glanced at the newcomer. "Are you going to introduce me?"

"Oh right. Sorry about that," the Reverend said. "Kaia this is Dean Winchester. He and his brother Sam are new around here. Dean, this is Kiran Ellis. She's a local paramedic and a friend of my daughter Lori's."

"Nice to meet you," he said, shaking Kiran's hand.

"Likewise," she responded coolly.

* * *

It was an hour before midnight when the call came in. Kiran was drowsing when the chimes went off calling her team into action. "Someone get a map," the driver yelled. "I don't know for sure where this is."

"Don't bother," Kiran responded, her hear sinking through the floor as she heard the location. "I know exactly where it is." They arrived at the Ellis home fifteen minutes later. They were already too late.

* * *

"Kaia, wake up." No response. Leonara sighed and shook her sister again. She really hated to wake her twin after what sort of a night last night had been but she needed to. "Kiran," she snapped insistently and her sister groaned.

"What?" she mumbled and Leonara let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Whatever it was that killed Savannah last night," Leonara said. "It killed twice. Lori's roommate Taylor is dead too."

"Ok," Kiran said, sitting up so quickly she almost banged her head against her twin's. "I'm awake now."

"Good," Leonara replied. "Because we have work to do." Kiran groaned but obligingly stood up and stumbled toward the shower. Fifteen minutes later they were in the library with what Kiran said were too many books about dull things. Leonara had just laughed and shoved a dusty book toward her twin.

"Great," Kiran drawled after an hour. "Please tell me you got some better than I got."

"Which would be?" Leonara said despairingly.

"All together now," Kiran said with a wicked sense of cheer.

"Unmarked grave," she and Leonara chimed in exasperation.

"So do we have a plan?" Kiran asked, shoving the book aside.

"Your turn," Leonara said immediately.

"_What_?" Kiran squawked gaining her several glares and an old woman shushing at her from the information desk. Kiran glared around the room and then turned back to her twin. "What?" she repeated again in a softer tone.

"I came up with the plan for the shapeshifter a month ago," Leonara said. "And before that Savannah took care of the planning for the poltergeist. It's your turn."

"Lee," Kiran whined.

"Kaia," Leonara whined right back at her, holding down giggles. Kiran, at that moment, looked exactly like a child who had dropped her ice cream cone on the ground before getting a taste.

"_Fine_," Kiran sighed heavily, realizing she wasn't going to get her way this time. "How about this? I'll go salt and burn our ghost's body while you stick with Lori like stink on a skunk."

"Sounds good," Leonara replied. "Only one question."

"Shoot, but not literally," Kiran said as she stood.

"Why am I sticking with Lori?"

"Because somehow this whole things is revolving around Lori," Kiran replied. "I mean, think about it. Who was killed?"

"Rich," Leonara began.

"Who was Lori's boyfriend and telling her that he cheated on her."

"Savannah."

"Who Rich was cheating on Lori with."

"And Taylor."

"Who was trying to get Lori to go out drinking after Rich's death and who was always at odds with Lori for something. It all comes back to Lori."

* * *

Kiran stumbled through Old North Cemetery, resisting the urge to cuss every time she almost tripped over the grass and tree roots on the ground. In fact she almost broke her head open on the gravestone she had been looking for. It had the cross that was connected with their killer and there was no name. "Bingo," Kiran muttered, scrabbling with one hand to find her shovel as she used the other hand with the flashlight in it to push herself up. She placed the flashlight near the headstone and stripped off her coat, placing the salt, old water bottle full of gasoline, and box of matches on top of it. Then she began digging.

Within fifteen minutes of digging the chill that had been sinking into her skin had faded away. A half an hour of digging had her wishing she had brought a water bottle with actual water. She was almost an hour in when she heard something between shovels of dirt. She dropped the shovel and reached a hand behind her to pull the handgun out of her jeans. She flipped the safety off and braced the butt with one hand, holding it firmly in the other and sweeping the muzzle across the darkness. She didn't yell or otherwise acknowledge she had heard anything. She just waited. Nothing. "You're getting paranoid," she muttered to herself and clicked the safety back on. She was about to shove the gun back in her jeans when she saw the figure moving.

It took all her willpower not to release several situation appropriate cuss words as she scrambled the flip the safety off. She had just gotten it when she was tackled around the middle, crashing down into her partially dug hole with a shriek. She kneed up hard and got her attacker in the stomach but with about half the force she had aimed for because he partially deflected her blow. She really hoped Lee was having a better night than her.

* * *

Leonara had stuck with Lori all night. She had a feeling that she had the easy job because Lori wanted someone around after Taylor's shocking death. They were sitting upstairs when she noticed Lori had been looking out the window rather than paying attention to the conversation. "Is there something out there?" she asked and Lori blinked, turning back toward her.

"Yeah," she said after a moment. "One of the new boys that showed up during Rich's funeral. The cute one." She paused. "What's his name again? Oh right, Sam."

"Do you want to go down and say hello?" Leonara asked and after a moment's hesitation Lori nodded. "Go on down," Leonara said. "I'll keep an eye on you from up here."

"Thanks Lee," Lori said, hugging her friend. "You're such a good friend."

"I try," Leonara said after Lori was already gone.

* * *

Kiran was pinned down. That was a new experience for her. Normally she was the victor, not the loser that was pinned down with a loaded gun lurking somewhere in the dark. She squinted up at the figure pinning her down and recognized Dean from the church. "Get the hell off of me!" she snarled, not caring at that moment that she was pinned down.

"Not until you tell me what you're doing here?" he hissed. Kiran thrashed but Dean was stronger than she was.

"Desecrating graves," Kiran growled. "What does it look like?" He kneed her in the ribs then hard enough to make her yelp and she tried to jerk free.

"You bastard," she snarled. "That'll leave a bruise."

"Like I care," Dean retorted. "What are you doing here?"

"None of your business," Kiran said indignantly, trying to squirm free again. "Now get off me!"

"Not until you tell me what you're doing here," Dean snarled back at her.

"I'm salting and burning a grave," Kiran retorted, angry enough to throw all caution to the wind now. "What does it look like?"

"It looks like you were trying to kill someone and cover the evidence," Dean retorted.

"I was pulling dirt out of the grave not putting it in moron," Kiran snarled, shoving at his chest. This time he did actually let her get up and she glared at him. She pulled herself to her feet, dusting the dirt off her jeans. "Jerk," she growled, snatched up her flashlight and searching around for the gun. "That was a loaded gun you know," she yelled at him as she looked around. "It could have gone off and killed us both."

"Doubtful honey," Dean drawled back as she heard the click of a second flashlight and the sound of digging resuming. Kiran growled to herself and almost tripped over the gun. She heard laughter behind her but ignored it. She snatched up the gun and flipped the safety back on, carrying it with her back toward the hole as Dean hit the coffin. "Found it," he called and Kiran nodded, dumping the gun on her jacket and snatching up the slat and gasoline. Dean scrambled out of the hole so Kiran could salt that body. He snatched the gasoline from her and dumped it over the corpse while Kiran lit a match and finished the body off. That was when her phone rang.

* * *

Kiran had to fight to resist the urge to pace. "What went wrong?" she asked her twin as they stood outside the hospital.

"I don't know," Leonara said, sounding as if she were still fighting down tears. "It wouldn't talk to me. It just shoved me out of the way and kept going."

"Weird," Kiran said and Leonara sniffed, reaching for another tissue in her purse. "Maybe it had a directive."

"A directive?" Leonara asked, her voice watery and confused.

"To go after Reverend Sorensen," Kiran said. "That would explain why it wouldn't talk to you. It was focused on one thing and one thing only."

"So who's giving the directive?" Leonara asked.

"Lori," Kiran said immediately.

"You have to be kidding me," Leonara said. "First you don't salt and burn the remains and then you want to blame everyone on Lori? You're as bad as Savannah."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Kiran said. "Slow down. What do you mean didn't salt and burn the remains? I did too!"

"But the Hookman didn't vanish," Leonara protested.

"But why-" Kiran began, sounding mystified. Then her eyes widened in surprise and she looked at Leonara.

"The hook," they said in unison.

"Looks like we have some more research to do," Leonara said and Kiran groaned.

* * *

They had just walked into the library when Kiran moaned again. "What?" Leonara asked, more than a little irritated at her twin.

"Them," Kiran said and Leonara turned in the direction of the pointing finger. It was Sam and Dean, the pair that had walked in on Rich's funeral. Their heads had both come up at the noise and now Dean was staring at Kiran with a look akin to dislike.

"You didn't tell me everything that happened last night did you?" Leonara asked her twin.

"He tackled me while I had a loaded gun," Kiran protested, sounding annoyed.

"And why exactly did you have a loaded gun?" Leonara asked.

"I was digging up a grave because of a violent spirit trying to kill people with a silver hook. Why do you think I had a loaded gun?" Kiran asked sourly.

"Never mind," Leonara said with a sigh. "I'm going to say hello." Kiran groaned but obligingly followed her twin over.

"Not you again," Dean groaned the instant they walked over.

"This wasn't my idea," Kiran protested. "Besides I wasn't the one who decided to tackle someone with a loaded gun."

"Come again?" Sam asked his brother.

"Yeah," Kiran cut in before Dean could answer. "And I've got a bruise on my ribcage to prove it."

"Only because you tried to knee me first," Dean protested.

"Children please," Leonara cut in sounding exasperated. "I was trying to have a civilized conversation." Kiran subsided sulkily, knowing by the smirk on Dean's face that he was laughing at her. "So what brings you here?" Leonara asked Sam.

"We're doing research," Sam said evasively.

"On Reverend Jacob Karns by any chance?" Kiran cut in and Sam nodded. "Let me further deduce that you are searching for the location of his hook," Kiran continued and Sam nodded again. "Well good. You have your research buddy Lee. I'm leaving."

"Kaia," Leonara called after her twin but Kiran was already heading out the door.

"Hey, shortie!" a voice called after her as she walked along the school campus. Kiran growled under her breath and walked faster. Yes she was short, only five foot two inches, but that didn't mean anyone had to make her a nickname based on that fact. "Wait up!"

"Go to hell," Kiran snarled but Dean had already caught up with her.

"So now that Sammy and your sister are busy researching what are we going to do?" he asked with a smirk.

"_I_ am going to sleep," Kiran said sharply. "_You_ are leaving me alone."

"Now, now don't be so touchy," Dean crooned. Kiran impatiently shrugged his hand off her shoulder and increased her pace. To her irritation she found that Dean could easily keep up with her.

"Go away," she snarled.

"Why?" Dean asked, still keeping up with her.

"Because my sister died last night okay?" Kiran growled, stopping next to the porch of the house she and her sisters, well sister now, shared. Then she turned and stalked into the house, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

They all met outside St. Barnabas Church an hour after dark. Kiran's mood had not improved from earlier. Leonara saw that which was probably why she sent her twin with Sam to get everything silver out of Lori's house. Kiran successfully found the spare key under the flowerpot and the pair worked silently to gather anything that looked remotely like silver before returning to the church. "We got everything that even looked like silver," Sam told his brother as they tossed what they had found into the fire.

"Better safe than sorry," Dean replied. They all froze when they heard footsteps above them.

"I'll go check it out," Kiran said, holding out her hand for the gun she knew Leonara had. Her twin obligingly handed it over and Kiran headed up the stairs, Sam on her heels. They both relaxed when they saw it was Lori and Kiran slipped the gun out of sight.

"Lori?" Sam called and she looked up.

"What are you doing here?" Lori asked.

"What is it?" Sam asked gently, sinking down in the pew next to her. Kiran scanned the church for any sign of anyone else and then sat down next to the stairs while the pair talked. That was when she saw the Hookman appear just before all the candles blew out.

"Sam get Lori out of here," she called and knew by the sudden noise that he was doing just that. She scrambled as quickly as she could in the darkness toward where she had last seen the Hookman but she was already behind. Fear pumped through her veins as she heard Lori scream and she knew she was invisible as she shot through the church and just managed to jerk Lori out of the way of the silver hook. She forced herself to be visible again just as the hook sliced into her rib cage. She shrieked in pain and it took all her self control not to fade out of sight again. "_Lee_," she screamed as Sam tried to slip behind the ghost.

"Get away from my sister," she heard Leonara scream.

"Sam, drop!" Dean yelled and Kiran stared in astonishment as Sam ducked and the ghost was shot with rock salt, vanishing for the moment.

"I thought we got all the silver," Sam panted.

"So did I?" Dean replied.

"It's coming back," Leonara whimpered and they all turned to see a long scratch forming on the wall.

"Lori," Sam said suddenly. "Where did you get that chain?"

"My father gave it to me," Lori gasped out, her eyes wide with fright.

"Where'd your dad get it?" Dean demanded, his voice urgent.

"He said it was a church heirloom," Lori explained rapidly, looking confused. "He gave it to me when I started school."

"Is it silver?" Kiran asked, realizing what they were getting at.

"Yes," Lori said, confusion plain on her face. Dean and Sam traded, the rifle for the necklace, and Dean vanished downstairs. Leonara dove out of the way of the angry ghost as Kiran practically dragged Lori backwards. The ghost knocked the rifle out of Sam's hands and loomed over them. Then it froze. The hook melted first, then the rest of the body fading away with a whispery sigh. Dean scrambled up the stairs to look at his brother and Lori with something that was almost relief. Kiran stood, feeling shaky on her feet, and leaned against a wall.

"Kaia," Leonara said in a weak voice. "You're bleeding." Kiren looked down, saw the blood dripping down her side, and didn't have time to say anything before she passed out.

* * *

Kiran watched as Morgan, one of her fellow paramedics, finished wrapping up her wound and then walked over to join her sister. "So," she said to Leonara. "Are we leaving town?"

"Yeah," her twin said with a slight smirk. "We've attracted too much attention already."

"What's with the smirk?" Kiran asked warily, glancing from her sister to the pair of dufflebags and backpacks on the ground in front of her.

"We're leaving with the Winchesters," Leonara said. Kiran groaned and banged her forehead against her sister's shoulder.

"Why?" she moaned. "Why? Why? Why?"

"Believe me angel," Dean drawled as he and Sam joined them. "I'm no more thrilled with this arrangement than you are."

"Why?" Kiran demanded again, this time of her sister rather than the world in general.

"To make your life a misery," Leonara said, grinning.

"I knew it!" Kiran groaned.

"All right children," Dean said. "Let's get moving. I want t be out of here yesterday." Kiran grumbled something rude under her breath but obligingly grabbed the bags Leonara had packed for her. The coming day was going to be torture. She just knew it.


	2. Bugs

_Thanks to _tigereyekum_ (Glad you like it!) for reviewing the last chapter! I own nothing of supernatural you recognize._

* * *

_Oklahoma Bar  
_

Kiran Ellis downed more of her beer and glanced over at Dean standing at one of the pool tables. Their eyes met and she impatiently tapped his watch, trying to signal that they were out of time five minutes ago. The older Winchester boy simply rolled his eyes and went back to his game. Kiran bit down her groan and downed the rest of the beer, waving away the bartender when he came back to ask if she wanted another. Despite being stuck babysitting Dean, Kiran had managed not to drink more than a single beer that night. She watched as he finished the last game and pulled a ten out of her pocket, dropping it on the bar for a tip to the bartender for having to deal with her. Then she stood and headed for the door. With her tiny five foot two frame she actually made it across the bar to the door at the same time as Dean who had to cross twice the distance. She opened her mouth to spit out some time rebuke and Dean said, "I know, I know. We should have been gone forever ago." Kiran growled and he smirked, ruffling her hair. "Cool it shortie." That was followed by another growl but Dean was already out the door.

Kiran stomped after him and flung herself into the back seat of the Impala, grabbing her seatbelt and buckling it without looking at it or Dean once. Leonara took one look at her twin who was grumbling obscenities under her breath and wisely decided to stay silent. "You know we could get day jobs once in a while," Sam told Dean as his older brother slipped in the car.

"Hunting's our day job," Dean retorted, slamming the door behind him. "And the pay is crap."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "But hustling pool? Credit card scams? It's not the most honest thing in the world Dean."

"Well let's see," Dean said, using his hands to illustrate a balance. "Honest. Fun and easy. It's no contest. Besides it's what we're good at. It's what we were raised to do."

"Yeah well the way we were raised was jacked," Sam retorted.

"Yeah, says you," Dean retorted easily. "We got a new gig?"

"Maybe. Oasis Plains, Oklahoma, not that far from here. A gas company employee-"

"Dustin Burwash," Leonara cut in and Sam nodded.

"Supposedly died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob."

"Huh?" Dean said and at the same time Kiran came out of her sulk long enough to say "Come again?"

"Human mad cow disease," Leonara and Sam elaborated at the same time.

"Mad cow," Dean said thoughtfully. "Wasn't that on Oprah?"

"You watch Oprah?" Sam asked and there was a long minute of silence before Kiran started snickering.

"So this guy eats a bad burger," Dean said, hastening to change to subject to save himself from further embarrassment. "Why is that our kind of problem?"

"Mad cow disease causes massive brain degeneration," Kiran spoke up, dredging up information from some of her medical classes. "It can take years for the damage to show up."

"Right," Sam said. "But this guy, Dustin? It sounds like his brain disintegrated in about an hour. Maybe less."

"Okay. That's weird," Dean agreed.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "It could be a disease or it could be something much nastier."

"Alright," Dean said with a heavy sigh. "Oklahoma. Man, work, work,work. No time to spend my money." Kiran snorted and pulled up the hood of her sweatshirt.

"Wake me when we get there," she mumbled and then drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Kiran woke when Leonara shook her gently, shaking her head to knock off some of the sleep still fogging her brain. Dean and Sam were already out of the car, heading toward a middle aged man who was working in front of a house in progress. "Who's he?" Kiran slurred sleepily, trying to force her brain to focus. She had the nagging suspicion she should know the answer to her question but couldn't for the life of her think of it.

"Travis Weaver," Leonara said impatiently. "The guy that worked with Dustin."

"Do I have to get out of the car?" Kiran whined and Leonara sighed.

"No," she admitted grudgingly. "You don't."

"Then why'd you wake me up?" Kiran asked thoroughly mystified.

"You told me to wake you up when we got here," Leonara said with a wicked grin.

"_Lee_," Kiran groaned, flopping back against the seat. "That's not funny."

"No," Leonara said, the smirk staying in place. "It's hilarious." Kiran just groaned and settled in for the long wait. Sam and Dean returned just after Leonara had stopped glancing at her twin and snickering.

"We know where Dustin died," Sam announced after a moment, realizing Dean wasn't going to tell either of the girls. "We're going to check it out."

"So we're sure it wasn't just mad cow disease?" Leonara asked and Sam nodded.

"Travis told us that Dustin didn't have any of the symptoms," Sam informed Leonara. "And there's no strain of the disease that's potent enough to kill him in the short amount of time that he was stuck in the hole."

"Here we are," Dean announced suddenly, braking sharply and parking the car. "Everyone out." Kiran resisted the urge to grumbling and climbed out of the car with the rest of them, sweatshirt hood still up and hands tucked snugly in the pockets. They all surveyed the sinkhole, Kiran with disinterest. "What do you think?" Dean asked after a moment.

"I don't know," Sam replied with a shrug. "But if that guy, Travis, was telling the truth then it happened pretty damn fast."

"So what?" Dean shot back. "Some creature just chewed on his brain?"

"Yeah," Kiran drawled, tracing her way across the work sight. "They'll leave you alone though. You don't have enough brain to be worth bothering with.'

"_Hey!_" Dean complained and Leonara's shoulders shook with suppressed giggles.

"No," Sam cut in, trying to keep the pair from arguing like they always did. "There'd be an entry wound if it did. It sounds like this thing worked from the inside."

"Yuck," Leonara said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Disgusting."

"You are such a girl," Kiran said, shaking her head, and Leonara let out an exasperated sigh.

"Huh," Dean said, looking down the hole Dustin had been killed in. "Looks like there's only room for one. Want to flip a coin?"

"Dean we have no idea what's down there," Sam protested as Dean snatched up a coil of rope.

"All right," Dean returned with a smirk. "I'll do it if you're scared. You scared?"

"Flip the damn coin," Sam snapped. Dean dropped the rope to bring out a coin to flip. Kiran rolled her eyes.

"Call it in the air, chicken," Dean said. He flipped it in the air and Sam caught it.

"I'm going."

"I said I'd go."

"I'm going."

"Fine," Dean said with a shrug as if Sam had forced him into it.

Sam began tying the rope around his waist and then paused, looking back at Dean. "Don't drop me."

"Little late to worry about that," Kiran said with a smirk and then yelped as Leonara smacked her in the back of the head. "_Lee."_

"Be nice Kaia," Leonara chided as Sam was lowered down the hole. Moments later he came back up with a dead beetle.

"You went through all that for a _bug_?" Kiran asked and dodged the smack Leonara was aiming at her. Sam shrugged at her, offering over the beetle.

"You were the paramedic. Does this look like a flesh eating bug to you?" Kiran studied the beetle, gently taking it out of Sam's hand.

"How many did you find down there?" Dean asked as Kiran studied the bug.

"Around ten," Sam answered.

"Doesn't matter," Kiran spoke up. "This isn't a flesh eating bug."

"Are you sure?" Sam prodded.

"_Yes_," Kiran said with an exasperated sigh, throwing the beetle over her shoulder and heading for the Impala. "Now can we go?" Leonara rolled her eyes at her sister's back. Dean smirked and Sam exchanged an exasperated glance with Leonara before they headed for the Impala. "So that was a dead end," Kiran said as they pulled away from the house in progress. "What to next?"

"We need more information on the area," Sam said. "Whether anything like this has happened before." Then he noticed Dean glancing at something. "What?"

"I know a good place to start," Dean said, turning a corner. "I'm kind of hungry for barbeque. How about you?"

"What?" Kiran asked, sending a mystified glance to Leonara who shrugged.

"What?" Dean asked at Sam's knowing looking. "So we can't talk to the locals?"

"And the free food has nothing to do with it?" Sam retorted.

"Of course not," Dean replied with a smirk. "I'm a professional."

"Bullshit," Kiran said from the back seat and then yelped when Leonara smacked her on the back of the head.

"Language Kaia," Leonara chided.

"Yes mother," Kiran said sullenly, slumping in the seat as they headed for the open house.

* * *

Dean shivered as he glanced at the immaculate house in front of him. "Growing up in a place like this would freak me out."

"Why?" Sam asked, Leonara at his side. Kiran was trailing just behind them, scowling slightly. That scowl seemed to be a permanent fixture on her otherwise pretty features.

"Well manicured lawns, '_How was your day honey_?' I'd blow my brains out," Dean replied.

"Yeah," he heard Kiran mutter. "Fucking creepy." Then she yelped and both Winchester brothers turned to see her dodging a second smack.

"Do I need to clean your mouth out with soap?" Leonara threatened. "You think just 'cause Savannah's dead it gives you permission to cuss every other word?"

"Fine, fine," Kiran said hastily, using her hands to shield herself from another smack. "I'll be good. I promise!"

"You'd better," Leonara threatened, turning back to the boys. "We going in?" Dean nodded and turned, knocking on the door.

A middle aged man answered the door and said, "Welcome."

"This the barbeque?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," the man replied, looking them over. "Not the best weather but-" He trailed off and shrugged. "I'm Larry Pike, the developer here. And you are?"

"Dean," Dean said, shaking the man's hand. "This is Sam and his girl Leonara. Oh, and her sister Kiran."

"Nice to meet you all," Larry said with a smile, stepping back to clear the doorway. "Come on in."

"You said you were the developer," Sam said as they walked into the backyard, his face crimson. Dean noticed with interest that Leonara was also flushing and Kiran was smirking from behind her sister's back.

_Nice_, she mouthed when she noticed him watching. Dean winked at her and she grinned openly for a moment.

"Eighteen months ago, I was walking this valley with my survey team. There was nothing here but scrub brush and squirrels. And you know what, we built such a nice place to live that I actually bought into it myself. This is our house. We're the first family in Oasis Plains," Larry was saying, walking over to a pretty middle aged woman. "This is my wife Joanie."

"Hi there," Joanie said with a smile, shaking their hands.

"Dean, Sam and Leonara, and Kiran," Larry said.

"Pleasure," Joanie said.

"Tell them how much you love the place, honey. And lie if you have to because I need to sell some houses," Larry said with a smile.

"Right," Joanie said with a laugh. "Go mingle. I'll take care of these four."

"Thank you honey," Larry replied, kissing her before heading off into the crowd.

"Don't let his salesman routine scare you," Joanie told them. "This is a really great place to live. She led them around the gathering, chatting all the time. Dean fell back next to Kiran, watching in amusement as Leonara and Sam stood awkwardly side by side. His smirk widened when Kiran reached over and placed Sam's arm around her sister's shoulders. He could see Leonara flush bright red and Sam glared at Kiran slightly over his shoulder.

"What?" she whispered innocently. "You two are supposed to be a couple. Act the part." Dean didn't bother to hide his smirk as Sammy turned back to the front.

"Nice shortie," he whispered and she smirked at him.

"Just you wait. You're next."

* * *

An hour later they were out of the open house after finding out that Dustin wasn't the only one who had been killed by bugs. A surveyor had been killed by a severe allergic reaction to bee stings. "You know I've heard of killer bees but killer beetles?" Dean was saying as Sam drove. "What is it that could make different bugs attack?"

"Some kind of haunting?" Sam suggested.

"There was no evidence of a haunting," Kiran cut in from the back seat.

"Maybe someone's controlling them," Dean suggested.

"You mean like Willard?" Sam questioned.

"Yeah. But bugs instead of rats."

"Could be a curse," Leonara suggested. "I mean last time Kaia and I saw something like this it was one."

"Don't remind me," Kiran groaned, cringing. "I still can't eat chicken without gagging."

"And you call me a girly girl," Leonara retorted. "It was just a little mutilated chicken."

"A mutilated half rotten through, covered in maggots, three foot tall _walking_ monstrosity of a dead chicken that when it died fell apart on top of me," Kiran said, gagging and hurriedly putting down the window.

"That is nasty," she heard Sam say and she nodded, gulping in fresh air.

"No kidding," she mumbled. "Only consolation was I got to nail the witch who set it up."

"So what makes you think it's a curse?" Sam asked Leonara.

"The killings with no obvious reason," Leonara said. "And the fact that I'm sensing nothing from Larry's son. I mean his mind is an open book and besides being angry at his dad for not understanding him there's nothing else." Dean slammed on the breaks and Kiran yelped as her seatbelt jerked her back fully into the seat.

"What the heck was that about?" she demanded.

"His _mind_ is _pretty open_?" Dean snapped, whirling to stare at Leonara who stared back in utter mystification. "Am I _missing something_?" Realization sank in on Leonara's face as she looked from one Winchester brother to the other.

"Oh," she said softly. "I'll just- we'll go. Come on Kiran." Kiran heard the click of a seatbelt coming off and reached over to snatch her sister's arm, preventing her from moving.

"Oh no," she snapped, glaring at the brothers. "We are so not leaving before we get this settled."

"_Kaia_," Leonara protested, trying to tug her arm back, but the incredibly sad look on Leonara's face had snapped Kiran over the edge. She was past the point of listening.

"Remember when I vanished in the church _Sammy?_" she snapped, making the nickname an insult. "That wasn't just some trick of the light. So yes Lee can read minds if they're open _and _talk to ghosts and I can turn invisible _and_ shield myself. And if you can't deal with that with everything that you two see on a regular basis you're both morons." Somehow she managed to get all the way through without cussing at either of them. She attributed that to Leonara's earlier threat to clean out her mouth with soap.

There was a long pause and then Sam said, "You're right."

"Yeah," Dean said, shaking his head after a moment. "I was just caught a little off guard is all. So Matt's innocent?"

"Yeah," Leonara said, sinking back into the seat and shooting Kiran a grateful smile. "Possibly a Native American one with the bugs. Witches tend to be a little more creative."

"Nothing we can do tonight," Dean said with a shrug. "It's too late in the day to find a reservation and go talk to anyone. Besides I want to try one of the steam showers."

"Really?" Kiran asked, anger fading away at the happy look on her twin's face. "We're squatting in an empty house?"

"Why not?" Dean returned with a shrug and a smirk, heading for the empty end of the housing addition.

* * *

Leonara found herself unable to sleep in the empty house. That was why she was sitting on the stairs at just after one in the morning with her ancient laptop searching for nearby Native American reservations. That was why she heard Kiran whimpering in her sleep while Dean and Sam were out checking whatever disturbance had come in over the police scanner. When the whimpers turned into a terrified cry Leonara knew for sure something was wrong.

She scrambled to her feet, heedless of the computer because it was ancient and could be replaced but her sister's sanity couldn't, and ran for the empty room. Kiran was curled up on the floor so tangled in blankets that Leonara couldn't tell where her sister ended and the covers began. "No," she heard Kiran mumble. "No, no. NO!" The last no was a screech of pure panic that echoed in the room.

Leonara scrambled over to her sister, stroking the sweaty hair that clung to her forehead. "Shh," she crooned softly, like she was talking to a small child. "It's okay Kaia. You're safe." Her sister had woken the instant Leonara had brushed her hair aside and now she lay on the floor, gasps calming.

"Sorry," she mumbled after a moment, untangling herself from the blankets. "I thought I was over it."

"We're hunting again," Leonara replied with a shrug. "You were bound to relapse." Kiran nodded weakly, slipping free of the blankets.

"I'm a sweaty mess," she mumbled. "I'm gonna go shower." Leonara nodded, turning for the door. "Thanks Lee," she heard her sister call to her.

"Any time," Leonara replied and then headed down the stairs to retrieve the computer. "Darn," she muttered with an amused smile as she saw that the only thing wrong with the laptop was that the battery had come out again. "Still not broken."

"What isn't?" Leonara looked up and blushed when she realized Sam had come in while she was talking to herself.

"The laptop," she said as Dean came in behind his brother. "Kiran and I have been trying to break it for about four years now. It just fell down the stairs and the only thing that happened was the battery came out again. Speaking of which-" She trailed off and turned to yell up the stairs. "Kiran!"

"WHAT?" came the impatient reply.

"Where'd you put the duct tape?!"

"IN THE COMPUTER BAG," Kiran yelled back over the sound of running water.

"Figures," Leonara said, shaking her head with an amused smile. "So what did you guys find out?"

"Lynda Bloome, the other resident in this two person addition, was killed," Dean said.

"And there's a bunch of dead spiders in her shower," Sam added.

"There's a local indian reservation not far from here," Leonara said. "We can't go until morning though. Hopefully the curse holds off until then."

* * *

It took Leonara two phone calls the next day to find out who they needed to talk to about local curses while Kiran duct taped the battery back into the laptop. Evidently her sister had forgotten she had the laptop when she had come to rescue Kiran from the nightmare. Not that Kiran really cared but you would have thought the laptop would have been dead after a tumble all the way down a flight of stairs.

It was an hour long drive to the Native American reservation and it took another fifteen minutes to find Joe White Tree. Finally they found him playing cards with another man who left the instant they said they wanted to ask Joe some questions. "We're students from the university," Dean said as an introduction.

"No you're not," Joe replied. "You're lying."

"Well," Dean said, his face showing surprise for an instant. "The truth is-"

"You know who starts a sentence with 'the truth is'?" Joe interrupted. "Liars." Kiran bit down giggles and by the look on her twin's face Leonara was doing the same.

"Have you heard of Oasis Plains?" Sam asked once he managed to wipe the smirk off his face. "It's a housing development near the Akota Valley."

"I like him," Joe informed Dean. "He's not a liar." The smirk was back and this time a giggle escaped from Kiran's mouth. "I know the area."

"What can you tell us about the history there?" Sam asked once he had forced the smirk down again.

"Why do you want to know?" Joe returned.

"Something bad is happening in Oasis Plains. We think it might have to do with the Native Americans that once lived there," Sam said softly. Joe studied all of them for a moment and then nodded once as if confirming something to himself.

"I'll tell you what my grandfather told me, what his grandfather told him. Two hundred years ago, a band of my ancestors lived in that valley. One day, the American cavalry came to relocate them. They were resistant, the cavalry impatient. As my grandfather put it, on the night the moon and the sun share the sky as equals, the cavalry first raided our village. They murdered, raped. The next day, the cavalry came again, and the next, and the next. And on the sixth night, the cavalry came one last time. And by the time the sun rose, every man, woman, and child still in the village was dead. They say on the sixth night, as the chief of the village lay dying, he whispered to the heavens that no white man would ever tarnish this land again. Nature would rise up and protect the valley. And it would bring as many days of misery and death to the white man as the cavalry had brought upon his people." When Joe finished Kiran was sure they were all staring at him. She knew she was.

"Insects," Dean said when he finally found his voice again. "Sounds like nature to me."

"Six days," Sam said, glancing at Leonara.

"And on the night of of the sixth day none would survive," Joe repeated.

"Oh crap," Kiran whispered.

* * *

"When did the gas company man die?" Sam asked as they hurried toward the Impala.

"Umm, let's see," Dean said as they walked. "We got here Tuesday so Friday the twentieth."

"March twentieth?" Leonara asked and Kiran knew that something had caught her twin's attention.

"What is it?" Kiran asked.

"The twentieth was the spring equinox,"Leonara said.

"The night the sun and moon share the sky as equals," Kiran and Dean said at the same time and then glared at each other.

"So, every year about this time, anybody in Oasis Plains is in danger. Larry built this neighborhood on cursed land," Sam said before an argument could break out.

"And on the sixth night-that's tonight," Dean said suddenly as the Impala pulled out of the reservation and on to the road.

"If we don't do something Larry and his family will be dead by sunrise," Sam said grimly. "So how do we break the curse?"

"Generally you kill the person who placed the curse," Leonara said. "But in this case that doesn't work."

"So we don't break this curse," Dean said as he sped down the road. "We get out of its way. We've got to get those people out now." One failed gas company call later and they were calling Matt and letting him try to get his family out. They arrived at the Pike house only to see they were still home. "Damn it," Dean cussed and then turned to glare at Leonara as she kicked the back of his seat. "They're still here," he snapped, flinging open his door. "Come on."

Larry Pike came storming out of the house, Matt trailing behind him like a lost puppy. "Get off my property before I call the cops!" He yelled, stopping at the edge of the porch.

"Dad they're just trying to help," Matt protested.

"Get in the house," Larry snapped at Matt.

"Kaia," Leonara whispered at Kiran's side.

"What?" Kiran returned, glancing away from the scene before them to look at her sister.

"We've got to get them into the house. We need to shock them."

"What?"

"_Kiran_," Leonara said in an exasperated tone.

"Oh," Kiran said, what her twin was talking about suddenly dawning on her. She turned back to Larry, stepping out from behind Sam and snapping her fingers. "_Excuse me_," she sassed and he turned to snap at her. Larry's jaw almost hit the ground as Kiran vanished right before his eyes. Leonara's eyes tracked the blur of motion she could see, the same way she could "see" invisible ghosts, and knew when Kiran was going to pop up before anyone else. "Now," Kiran said coldly, appearing right before Larry's eyes. "Get. In. The house." Larry turned and _ran_ towards the house, dragging Matt with him. Leonara felt a brief rush of relief before she heard the humming. "Lee," Kiran said in a frozen voice, the kind she used when she was trying not to scream in panic.

"I know," Leonara said, shivering slightly. "We need to get into the house."

"NOW!" Dean barked, shaking them all out of their stupor. Sam grabbed Leonara and dragged her toward Larry's house. Kiran was already sprinting up the porch steps and Dean was right on her heels. They burst into Larry's house and Larry let out a yell of surprise as Sam slammed the door shut. Instantly the sound of bugs pelting the walls echoed through the house. Larry gaped at something for the second time that night. This time it was at the bugs pelting suicidally against the house.

"Is there anybody else in the neighborhood?" Sam asked, snapping Larry out of his stupor.

"No," Larry said. "It's just us."

"Honey what's going on?" Joanie asked, walking into the room. "What's that noise?"

"Call nine-one-one," Larry said, sounding vaguely panicked. Joanie stared at him and he snapped at her. She rushed into the next room to grab the phone.

"I need towels," Dean told Larry.

"Uh, in the closet," Larry said, visibly trying not to panic.

"We need to seal up the whole house," Sam told Matt who was nodded rapidly. They scrambled upstairs, Leonara right on their heels. Dean and Kiran plugged up the holes downstairs.

"Phones are dead," Joanie informed them.

"They must have chewed through the phone line," Dean said, shoving a couple towels under the crack at the bottom of the door. That was when the power went out. Kiran let out a little shriek of surprise and terror. "And the power lines," Dean added. Kiran was suddenly aware that she was clinging to his arm and he wasn't saying anything.

"Sorry," she mumbled, flushing and trying to force her fingers to release him.

"I can't get any signal," Larry said, frantically waving his phone in the air.

"You won't," Dean said, still not saying anything about Kiran clinging to him like a excitable cheerleader with her crush in a haunted house. "They're blanketing the house."

"What do we do?" Larry asked.

"We try to outlast," Sam said and Kiran let out another startled squeak, her fingers tightening around Dean's arm again. "Hopefully the curse will end at sunrise," Sam continued.

"You okay?" Leonara asked as Kiran forced her fingers to relax as much as they could again.

"Y-yeah," she replied in a wavering voice, still clinging to Dean. "F-fine."

"Hopefully?" Larry asked Sam in an equally weak voice. Dean tugged away from her and Kiran warily made her way to her sister. Leonara caught her hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"You sure you're going to be okay?" she asked as Dean came out with bug spray.

"Y-yeah," Kiran replied again. "Why w-wouldn't I be?" Leonara sighed and squeezed her hand again.

"What's that?" Matt asked suddenly and Kiran became aware of a creaking noise.

"The flue," Sam said softly, turning toward the fireplace.

"All right," Dean said as calmly as he could manage. "I think everybody needs to go upstairs." That was when the flue broke sending hundreds of bees flying at them. Kiran let out a little scream, momentarily forgetting her paralyzing fear as she dragged her sister toward the stairs. "Everybody upstairs. Go, go, go!" Dean yelled, using a lighter and bug spray to make a flame thrower. They all scrambled into the attic, Kiran panting from fear and exertion, and slammed the door to it shut.

There was silence for a moment and Kiran felt herself relax for a moment before she felt something fall on her head. _Sawdust_. "_Lee_," Kiran said, voice rising in panic.

"The ceiling," Leonara said, catching on immediately.

"All right everybody," Dean said, still trying to sound calm. "Get back, get back, get back!" His calm faded as bugs poured through the roof. The bug spray didn't seem to be doing anything and Kiran felt panic rush through her body. More and more holes appeared and soon bugs were everywhere. Kiran cringed back into a corner, curling up in a little ball. It was dark and there were bugs and Oh-God-she-was-going-to-die! Her mind faded into full blown panic.

She felt hands tugging her own off of her ears and she heard Leonara say, "Kiran, Kaia. They're gone. The sun's up."

"She okay?" she heard Sam asked as she unfolded herself.

"Yeah," Kiran answered for herself as she stood slowly. "Fine. Sorry for freaking out."

"No problem," Sam replied with a smile. Kiran decided then that Leonara had chosen the right brother to develop a crush on.

* * *

Kiran watched from next to her sister while Sam said his goodbyes to the Pike family. "Sooo," she drawled, nudging her sister with her elbow.

"Oh shut up," Leonara replied, face bright red, knowing instantly what her twin was talking about.

"I think you chose the right one," she said.

"There was a right one?" Leonara asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Yeah," Kiran said with a smirk. "Seriously Lee, go for it. You like him, he likes you, he's nice. I don't see a problem here."

"You guys coming?" Dean yelled at them and Kiran stuck her tongue out at him.

"Now if you decide to crush on him I'll smack you," Kiran said as they walked toward the Impala. Leonara laughed and threw an arm around her sister's shoulders as they headed for the car.


	3. Home

_Thanks to tigereyekum for the review last chapter and sorry for the late update! I actually started typing up the wrong chapter first and had to go back and do this episode. I own nothing of Supernatural you recognize._

* * *

_Hotel Room in Lincoln, Nebraska_

"Hey Sammy. What'cha drawing?" Kiran Ellis plopped down on the bed, leaning over Sam's shoulder to glance at the picture.

"A tree," Sam replied dryly, smirking when the blonde stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well I can _see_ that," Kiran said, rolling her eyes at him.

"Ask a stupid question-" Sam said, purposefully trailing off as Kiran groaned in exasperation.

"_Honestly_," she groaned. "Lee are you hearing this?"

"I'm ignoring it," Leonara said from her position staring over Dean's shoulder at a computer screen.

"All right. I've been cruisin' some websites. I think I found a few candidates for our next gig. A fishing trawler found off the coast of Cali –- its crew vanished. And, uh, we got some cattle mutilations in West Texas," Dean said, trying to prevent a fight instead of causing one for once. "Hey! Am I boring you with this hunting evil stuff?"

"Yes," Kiran said at the same moment Sam said, "No."

"Nobody asked you," Dean informed Kiran who stuck her tongue out at him before turning back to Sam. "And, here, a Sacramento man shot himself in the head. Three times." No response. Sam could hear his brother sigh in exasperation as Kiran continued to lean over his shoulder. "Any of these things blowing up your skirt pal?" He tried to ignore them, instead staring intently at the picture he'd drawn. It looked familiar but he couldn't quite determine why. Then it dawned on him.

"Wait. I've seen this before." He began digging through his bag, ignoring the commotion behind him at his sudden announcement. A moment later he came up with a picture in hand. "I know where we need to go next."

"Where?" Dean asked after a moment.

"Back home," Sam said. "Back to Kansas." There was a long moment of silence broken only when the _Pink Panther Theme_ began to play from Leonara's phone. The brothers turned to watch Leonara fumble with it twice before flipping it open.

* * *

"-and then when I came back in I couldn't find her anywhere." Leonara Ellis could see her cousin Madeline's brown curls bouncing as she stomped with agitation back and forth across whatever room she was in.

"All right," Lee said as patiently as she could manage, all the time aware that Kiran was rolling her eyes and staring at the heavens as if they had an answer. "Just calm down and tell me where you are."

"Ashland," Madeline said, her voice wavering. "In Nebraska."

"All right," Leonara said. "Give me a minute to arrange a ride. Talk to Kiran while you're waiting." Then she handed Kiran the phone and headed back in the hotel room. She entered in dead silence and both brothers looked up at her as the door clicked shut behind her. "Hey," she said in the resounding silence. "Um, I, uh, Kiran and I actually, need a ride to Ashland."

"Ashland where?" Sam asked after a moment when Dean didn't reply.

"Nebraska," Lee returned easily. "Its about a half an hour away from here."

"Right," Dean said, sounding more lost than Leonara had ever heard him. "We'll do it. Put off the inevitable."

_Wham!_ The hotel room door slammed against the wall then making them all jump. "_Leonara Arianne Ellis_," Kiran said in a dangerously cold tone that was almost bordering on outright screaming. "_Do not do that to me ever again._" Leonara couldn't help herself then, she giggled.

"What did you do?" Sam asked, sounding mystified.

"Left her on the phone with a hysterical girl," Leonara replied, ducking when her phone went flying at her head. "We're going to Ashland to help Maddy."

"No," Kiran returned flatly.

"_Kaia_."

"No. I'm not going."

"Kiran Marie Ellis-"

"Not happening," Kiran sing-songed, rolling her eyes. "You know as well as I that Salem probably went out for a day and will be back within eight hours."

"I promised Maddy we'd check it out," Leonara protested.

"Maddy knows better than to actually expect me to show up unless Salem's been gone for more than twenty-four hours," Kiran retorted.

"Fine," Leonara said, throwing her hands up in the air. "Whatever. Let's just get moving before we lose any more time.

* * *

Kiran Ellis sank deeper into her jacket and closed her eyes, trying to block out the tight fist of worry in her chest. Rarely were she and Lee separated for more than a matter of a few hours and this could take several days. "Relax," she mumbled under her breath, resisting the urge to call her sister or start panicking and insist Dean turn back to drop her off too. That would be counterproductive because the Winchesters would lose at least an hour of driving time to get back their and she would spend the whole time arguing with Madeline and then trying to convince her cousin not to cry. "She'll be all right." Dean's voice cut through the silence like a knife, making Kiran's eyes snap open. Ever since Sam had drifted off twenty minutes ago the Impala had been completely silent.

"Hmm?" Kiran asked after a moment, realizing she needed some kind of a response.

"Your sister," Dean said, glancing in the rearview mirror. "She's tough and she can handle herself. She'll be fine." Part of Kiran wanted to snap that he didn't know Leonara like she did, didn't know that her sister would risk anything for family, but she knew he was just trying to be nice so instead of snapping she forced a slim smile and a nod. Then she leaned farther back into her jacket again and tried to get some sleep.

* * *

_She was curled up on the chilly cement floor, whole body quaking with pain and fear. Blood dripped in a slow line down her forehead and to the floor to land in tangles of blonde hair. A choked sob escaped her, a single sound in utter silence. Darkness so thick she could barely see the hand in front of her face pressed in around her, threatening to stifle the lone candle wavering in the center of the room. A door opened, rusted metal hinges shrieking into the gloom, and she spun on aching legs only to have her sister collide with her. They both crashed to the floor with harmonizing yelps of pain and as Kiran shoved her twin off of her only to have Leonara let out a pained wail.  
_

_Kiran rolled over and stared in horror at her sister's arm. From the elbow to the shoulder it was twisted out of joint, hanging limply at Leonara's side. Letting out a little whimper of panic she buried her head in her arms and began rocking from side to side. A hand gently stroking her hair only made her sobs louder and louder until she was wailing into the darkness like the lost child she truly was. Finally she ran out of energy, throat dry and cheeks soaked as Leonara continued gently stroking her messy hair. "It'll be okay," her sister reassured her. "Savannah's coming for us." And Kiran didn't have the heart to tell her sister she was wrong. Four hours later it occurred to her that she should have mentioned that little detail. Four hours and one of those terrifying run-for-your-life experiences.  
_

Kiran jolted fully awake in seconds, the seatbelt stopping her forward progress and slamming her back against the seat. The Impala was almost completely silent; the only noises the ticking of cooling metal and her ragged breathing. The Impala was completely empty. Trying to calm her racing heart, Kiran allowed her gaze to sweep across the vehicle, pausing at a note taped on the steering wheel. It was written in neat, precise handwriting-probably Sam's.

Kaia,

Gone into our old house with Dean to talk to owner. Be inside an hour tops. Don't freak out.

Underneath the initial note was another one inf sharper, sloppier handwriting that was probably Dean's. **Don't do anything to the Impala.** Kiran allowed herself to let out a shaky laugh at that before fumbling for the release button on her seatbelt and pressing it, sighing in relief when the offending object retracted. She went searching again, this time for a pen and paper in her bag, and scribbled with fingers that shook before shoving the entire pad and pen into the front seat and shoving open the car door. She collapsed on warm rocks, scrambling to get her feet underneath her before throwing the door shut and taking off down the country lane at a flat out your-life-is-in-danger sprint.

She ran, her feet pounding against the ground until they ached. She sprinted flat out until she was breathing like she was an asthmatic in the middle of a particularly bad asthma attack. Then she slowed to a jog that eventually faded into a walk as she turned back toward the Impala. She didn't really want to go back, didn't want to find Dean and Sam waiting for her, Sam tolerant and Dean annoyed, and she didn't want to face the questions about why she'd gone.

* * *

Sam heard Dean sigh as he turned for what felt like the six hundredth time in the last ten minutes. He resisted the urge to do exactly what his brother had just done, keeping his eyes fixed on the road. He knew what he would see when he looked at the note anyway. A pad of paper with rips in the top sheet and a pen laying in a haphazard way across the bottom of the pad. The note itself was simple (Sam and Dean, Gone for a run. Be back in a bit. And it's Kiran.) but the way the paper was ripped showed she had been half panicked. Sam scanned the landscape again and sighed in relief when he saw a figure jogging toward them. "Hey," Kiran hollered, waving a hand weakly in their direction.

"Hey," Sam called back, wondering if he should try to bring up the subject of whatever had caused her to take off running in the first place. Kiran took that decision out of his hands.

"Any luck?"

"None," Sam called back as she drew closer, close enough that he could see her shirt was stuck to her skin with sweat.

"We're going into town to talk to some of Dad's old acquaintances," Dean cut in before Sam could ask what was so obviously wrong with Kiran. "And we're wasting daylight." Kiran nodded, looking at the ground, and headed straight for the back seat of the Impala.

* * *

Leonara was sitting in the middle of Salem and Maddy's current kitchen when her cell phone rang. She glanced at her phone and smiled at the name that came up; _Your Lovely Twin_. Kiran had put that in the phone herself. "Yes?" she asked when she answered the phone.

"Hey," came the shaky reply and instantly Lee knew something was wrong.

"The nightmare again," she said, not asking because she knew her twin far too well to have to ask. "Which part?"

"The part where I don't tell you Savannah isn't coming," Kiran said, voice wavering. A choked sob reached across the airwaves and Leonara wanted so badly to be next to her twin. "And everything's come back Lee-Lee."

"Don't let it break you," Leonara said, trying not to show how shaken she was by the childhood nickname. Another sob and then a heaving breath as Kiran pulled herself together.

"Right," came the shaky reply. "Any luck finding Salem?"

"None yet," Lee replied, letting her twin get away with the subject change for now. "But Maddy's finally sleeping."

"As opposed to pacing like she's drunk and crying hysterically?" Leonara let out a bark of laughter at the punch line that had been worn out too many times but Salem and Kiran.

"Yes," she said fondly.

"Look Lee, I gotta go," Kiran said, her voice slightly more relaxed. "Dean and Sammy-oh I'm sorry, _Sam_-found someone we need to talk to." A long pause and then, "Stay safe Lee-Lee."

"You too Ria," Leonara said, using the childhood nickname in an attempt to reassure her twin. Then she hung up. Instantly she was finding Sam's number in her contacts list and opening a new text message. **Keep an eye on K**. Then she pressed send and tried not to worry because really it was all that she could do.

* * *

Sam felt his phone vibrate in his pocket as he, Dean, and Kiran stepped into Missouri Moseley's house. As she finished talking with some man he pulled out his phone and glanced at the name. Leonara :). He blinked in surprise at the smiley face. Leonara must have snuck into his phone and added it when he wasn't paying attention. He opened and message, finding it startlingly succinct. **Keep and eye on K**. He glanced at Kiran and then at the message that only reinforced his impression that something was wrong with Kiran. Leonara wasn't one to be needlessly worrying about her twin. From what he'd seen Leonara rarely worried about her twin. **I promise**, he texted back and snapped the phone shut, following Missouri, Dean, and Kiran into the next room.

During the entire conversation with Missouri about the house and what had been in it or might be in it Kiran didn't crack a single smile. Instead she slumped near the doorway glaring at Missouri every time the woman so much as looked in her direction. Missouri finished telling them about what had been in the house and then turned to Kiran. "All right girl. You can stop glarin' at me every sixty seconds 'cause your brain is about as blocked off as can be."

"Good," Kiran retorted coldly. "Then can we get out of here before whatever's in that house kills someone?" Kiran was already out of the house before any of them could answer.

* * *

Salem Cross came back into the apartment looking like she'd been run over by a car. Her black hair hung in chaotic tangles and a long stain of grease and blood was painted straight up her forehead. Her arms were scraped and bloody and she had a completely satisfied look on her face. She wasn't entirely surprised to see her cousin, Leonara Ellis, sitting at her kitchen table when she came into the room. With a casual toss she sent her keys arching through the air to land in a small copper pot with a collection of other keys. "Maddy sleeping?"

"Yeah," Leonara said, mildly annoyed. "No thanks to you."

"I left a note," Salem said. "And sent two text messages before I realized I was sending them to Maddy's old phone and I didn't have her new number."

"Get it," Leonara ordered, her voice sounding dangerous. Salem laughed and headed over to the sink, grabbing a clean glass out of the dishwasher and getting some water. She took a sip and turned back to catch Leonara glancing almost anxiously at her cell phone. Instantly Salem's sister radar went off; the radar that should have been an exclusively older sister thing but that she had somehow developed anyway.

"What's wrong?" she demanded, instantly serious.

"Kiran," Leonara said, eyes never leaving the phone. "And nightmares." Salem's mouth rounded in sudden understanding.

"Let's go then."

"Maddy'll freak."

"I'll leave her a note," Salem said with a smirk. "Besides, a little stress never hurt anyone." Leonara didn't argue further and that was enough to tell Salem how serious the situation was. "Get in the truck."

* * *

The house was quiet. Quiet and dark and Sam Winchester wasn't letting her out of his sight. Not that Kiran was complaining. No, instead of opening her mouth and whining she was following him like a scared puppy through the semi-dark. They had got three out of four corners finished and were working on the next one when disaster struck. The cord wrapped around Sam's next and Kiran didn't even notice until she heard the strangled gasp. She whirled around and then screamed in panic. The light shut off then and her brain shut down. She stumbled forward two steps and then stumbled, falling hard on the ground with a terrified cry. "_Lee_," she mumbled, voice a strangled gasp of panic. _"Please_." Twenty minutes away Leonara Ellis's head snapped up like someone had it on a rope.

* * *

Dean Winchester cussed when his phone went off in the middle of the now silent kitchen. He had just finished dodging knives and now his phone was blaring some kind of music that only played for an unfamiliar number. He flipped it open without glancing and snapped, "This had better be good."

"Winchester," came the cold snap and for a moment Dean wondered why Kiran was calling him when she was just right upstairs. Then it dawned on him. Leonara was calling him and if she was calling... Something was wrong.

"On it," Dean said, snapping his phone shut and sprinting for the stairs. He headed for the last room they would enter, hoping he picked the right one. As soon as the door flew open into pitch darkness and chaos he knew he had guess right. "Kiran Ellis get the fucking package in the wall," he snarled over the sound of his brother thrashing and choking.

"Can't," came the strangled reply. Dean snarled and lunged, snatching the package up and shoving it into the wall as soon as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. There was a sudden flare of light and then silence. Dean all but crawled across the floor the click on the main light noticing that Kiran uncurled instantly, moving with shaking fingers to untie the cord around Sammy's next. Nothing had been holding her back.

"Next time I tell you to do something, _do it_," Dean snarled at her.

"Right," Kiran snapped back and he was startled to see that she was close to tears. Then she scrambled to her feet on shaky legs and have stalked, half stumbled out of the room.

* * *

Kiran and Dean weren't talking. That was making the situation of sitting outside a house that Missouri claimed was clean more awkward than it already was. Kiran was huddled up in the back seat, as small as she could make herself without actually turning invisible or getting out of the Impala. Dean was fuming in the front seat. After a couple attempts at conversation Sam settled for watching windows. Maybe that was a good thing because the instant he saw Jenny's panicked face in the window he was ready to move. "Dean, Kiran, look!" They both looked, Sam already plunging out of the car. He knew Dean was right behind him. He wasn't so sure about Kiran but at the moment it didn't matter.

* * *

Salem pulled to a screeching stop in front of a burning house with Dean breaking down the front door. At the moment the world could have been burning down and Leonara wouldn't have cared. All she was worried about were Kiran's dazed and frightened thoughts of pain and fear washing over her. She took off towards the Impala at a sprint, knowing Salem would be right behind her, and flung open the passenger door, catching her twin when Kiran came tumbling out, whimpering like a baby. "Shh, shh," she crooned as chaos whirled around them. "It's okay. You're safe. I've got you." She whispered the same reassurances over and over again and as the sun rose Kiran finally began to believe them.

"I've got to go home," Salem said at sunrise, leaning over to press and gentle kiss to Kiran's fevered forehead. "Otherwise Maddy will be calling you again." Then she was standing and walking away, leaving Leonara crouched with aching muscles on the ground, sill clutching her shaking sister to her and watching as the sun rose over the hills.

"Thanks," Kiran croaked after their cousin and Salem raised a hand in acknowledgement but kept walking. With that single word Leonara knew then that the panic attack was over. Kiran would be fine, for now, and life could go on as normal.

"She gonna be okay?" Leonara glanced up at Sam who crouched next to them.

"I think so," Lee replied, giving him a tired smile. As if in confirmation of what she had just said, Kiran's head peeked over Lee's shoulder to squint into the brilliant sunrise before giving Sam a watery smile. Then she buried her head against her sister's shoulder once more and the world fell back to normal.


	4. Asylum

_The trailer for this story is linked on my profile so check it out and let me know what you think! I own nothing of Supernatural you recognize._

* * *

_Hotel Room in Aurora, Illinois_

Leonara Ellis leaned back against the headboard of the cheap motel bed, unkillable laptop on her lap. She was surfing the web, searching for any sign of nearby paranormal activity they could check out while Kiran was sleeping peacefully for the first time in three days and Sam and Dean were arguing about finding their father again. Leonara tilted her head slightly to glance at her peacefully slumbering sister beside her. Kaia seemed to be finally shaking the nightmares of the dark again, much to everyone's relief. A cell phone rang somewhere in the room and Kiran grumbled under her breath before curling up in a little ball. Leonara felt a sad smile form on her face at the sight.

Until they turned twelve the twins had slept together in the same room. In fact until they were six they had flat out refused to sleep in separate beds. In those days they had slept back to back, Leonara stretched out and on her right side and Kiran curled up and on her left side. They had slept that way until they were twelve when the no-good-terrible-horrible thing that should-not-be-spoken-of happened. After that they had refused for a while to sleep in rooms with the lights off or any windows. That was where Kiran had developed her fear of the dark. Before that Kaia had been fearless.

The phone continued to ring and Dean was still searching for it. ""Where the hell is my cellphone?" she heard him mutter as he dug through his dufflebag.

"Table by the door," Leonara responded, turning back to her laptop as Dean called a thank you in her direction and went to shut up the phone.

"You know he could be dead for all we know," Sam called after Dean as the phone finally silenced. Leonara rolled her eyes and went back to blocking them out.  
A few moments later the cell phone was snatched from her and Dean began typing on it. Leonara blinked, staring at the empty space where the laptop had been, and then sighed, leaning back against the headboard again. If their situations had been reversed and Leonara had been the one sleeping Kiran would have let out a few choice cuss words in Dean's direction. Leonara didn't see the point. "You think Dad was texting us?" Sam asked.

"He's given us coordinates before," Dean replied, engrossed in whatever he was reading. Leonara raised an eyebrow at Sam who mouthed _later_ at her and turned back to Dean.

"The man can barely work a _toaster_, Dean."

"Sam it's good news!" Dean said in exasperation. "It means he's alive at least." That was when Kiran started screaming. Of course.

Leonara's hand went out immediately to Kiran's shoulder and a moment later she jerked back, actually tumbling off the bed to dodge her sister's fist. Dean cussed and dodged the flying computer as Kiran screamed again, the sound a horrible mixture of terror and breaking glass. The computer crashed to the floor, battery flying free with the duct tape holding it together still attached and the computer screen went black before it slammed into the other bed. Leonara was still untangling her legs and scrambling to her feet when Dean caught Kiran. She thrashed for a moment and then began to shake, her screams calming to whimpers as Dean whispered something into her hair. Dean waited a moment to make sure she was calm before letting her go and by that time Leonara was at her twin's other side. "Thanks," she whispered and Dean shrugged before going to retrieve the computer and battery. Kiran was still shaking when her eyes flickered open. "Hey Kaia. You okay?"

"Yeah," Kiran said hoarsely, slowly sitting up. Leonara quickly grabbed her water bottle from the side table and handed it to her twin who took it with shaking hands. She took a drink and then glanced at Leonara with vaguely amused eyes. "You're hovering."

"You're still shaking," Leonara shot back and was almost pleased to see her twin look down, blushing slightly.

"I'll be fine," Kiran said the instant the flush faded. "Now where are we going?"

"The coordinates lead to Rockford, Illinois," Dean spoke up, the laptop back on and on his lap.

"Wait, back up," Kiran said, fully alert now. "What coordinates?"

"Dean thinks our father sent us coordinates by text message even though the man can't properly run a toaster," Sam explained.

"What's in Rockford?" Leonara asked before the conversation could digress any further than it already had.

"Well according to the local paper this straight laced cop named Walter Kelly comes home from a shift spent investigating an old, abandoned asylum after reports of a disturbance, shoots his wife, and then turns the gun on himself," Dean said.

"Okay, I'm not following," Sam admitted. "What does that have to do with us?"

"Dad earmarked the same asylum in his journal," Dean explained, holding out a hand. Leonara stared at him uncomprehendingly and then flushed as Kiran leaned over her to grab John Winchester's journal and toss it to Dean. Dean flipped through it for a moment and then said, "Here. Seven unconfirmed sightings, two deaths-until last week of course. I think this is where he wants us to go."

"This is a job," Sam said with a huff. "Dad wants us to work a job."

"Well maybe we'll meet up with him," Dean said optimistically. "Maybe he's there."

"Maybe he's not," Sam countered. "I mean he could be sending us there by ourselves to hunt this thing."

"Who cares?" Dean called as he tossed his things back in his dufflebag. Leonara could sense a storm coming now. Sam's expression was going dark and annoyed. Dean's was flat out irritated. "If he wants us there it's good enough for me!"

"That doesn't strike you as weird?" Sam asked sharply. "The texting? The coordinates?"

"Sam!" Dean snapped, whirling on his brother. That was when Kiran let out an ear piercing shriek. Everyone froze, turning to stare at Leonara's twin who was gazing in the mirror with something akin to horror on her face. Once Kaia was sure everyone was watching she began to smirk.

"Just kidding," she said, smirking widening at the incredulous looks on Sam and Dean's face. Leonara began to giggle and her twin gave her a wink. It was good to see that Kiran was recovering quickly from the latest nightmare. "Now let's get going. After all it is a-how long of a drive did you say it is?"

"An hour and a half," Dean answered, eyes still slightly wider than average.

"Right," Kiran said cheerfully, spinning around to grin at them all. "Let's get going then." Leonara gave in then and full out laughed.

* * *

They ended up taking three unplanned detours and a "short-cut" before arriving at Rockford a couple hours after sunset. The general consensus was that when Leonara or Sam said to turn left it meant _turn left_ and not turn left at your convenience or say you thought you could get there faster but turning in two exits. Kiran had just watched it all with a huge smirk on her face. Now she and Lee were sitting outside a bar next to the Impala with the laptop out while Sam and Dean tried to find the cop who had been Walter Kelly's partner. They had only been inside five minutes before Dean came storming out, hands shoved in his coat pockets. "Well that was fast," Lee said, glancing up at Dean.

"Sam shoved me off a bar stool to talk to the guy," Dean growled and Kiran couldn't help it, she started laughing.

"Are you serious?" she managed to choke out through her laughter. "That's great!" He kicked her lightly in the side then and she toppled over against her twin, still laughing hysterically.

"All right Fruit Loop," Leonara said, tugging on her twin's hair as she used the childhood nickname. "Cool it."

"Got it," Kiran said, working on forcing down her giggles. Dean had relaxed though and Kiran mouthed a sorry to him before snuggling into her sister's shoulder. "Got anything Cupcake?"

"I'm going to regret bringing out the old nicknames, aren't I?" Leonara said and Kiran giggled once, grinning widely. "I thought so." Dean settled against the Impala and Kiran fixed her eyes on a nearby streetlight, trying to pretend it wasn't getting darker by the minute. Sam came out a half an hour later, long after Lee had put the laptop away.

"Shoved me kinda hard in there buddy boy," Dean called to his brother.

"I had to sell it, didn't I?" Sam asked with a slight smirk. "It's method acting." Kiran bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Huh?" Dean asked and a couple giggles escaped her.

"Never mind," Sam returned, winking at her.

"What'd you find out from Gunderson?" Dean asked, giving up trying to understand his brother.

"Walter Kelly was a good cop," Sam said with a shrug. "Head of his class, even-keeled, he had a bright future ahead of him."

"What about his home life?" Lee asked.

"He and his wife had a few fights, like everyone, but it was mostly smooth sailing. They were even talking about having kids."

"Not the kind of thing a guy who's going to kill himself and his wife would talk about," Lee said.

"You're right Cupcake," Kiran replied with a smirk that widened when Leonara stuck her tongue out at her twin.

"Cupcake?" Sam asked with a mystified look on his face.

"Sam, focus," Dean said, snapping his fingers at his younger brother. When Sam turned back to him Dean said, "Alright, so either Kelly had some deep-seated crazy waiting to bust out, or something else did it to him."

"Right," Sam agreed.

"What'd Gunderson tell you about the asylum?"

"Enough to know we need to check it out," Sam responded.

"I'm out," Kiran said immediately, panic creeping into her voice. She realized Sam and Dean were both staring at her and she buried her head in her twin's shoulder.

"I'm a little tired too," Lee said, saving her twin once again. "Can you guys drop us off at a hotel and go check it out. You can call if you need help then."

"Sure," Sam said and Kiran emerged just in time to see him elbow Dean into agreeing. Kiran let out a soft sigh of relief before climbing into the Impala after her twin.

* * *

The next day found Kiran and Leonara waiting outside a psychiatric office with Dean for Sam to come back with information. Kiran was more relaxed at the moment since the sun was up. She didn't realize she was humming under her breath until Lee tugged tiredly on a curl. "Shut up Fruit Loop. Your humming is drilling its way into my poor brain."

"Sorry," Kiran replied with a sheepish smile just as Sam walked out of the building.

"Dude you were in there forever," Dean said. "What the hell were you talking about?"

"Just the hospital, you know," Sam said with a shrug.

"And?" Dean asked pointedly.

"And the south wing," Sam continued. "It's where the housed the really hard cases. The psychotics, the criminally insane."

"Sounds cozy," Dean drawled sarcastically and Kiran couldn't help but giggle.

"Yeah. And one night in '64, they rioted. Attacked staff. Attacked each other," Sam continued.

"So the patients took over the asylum?" Lee asked.

"Apparently," Sam said with another shrug.

"Crazies unite," Kiran chirped and then yelped when Leonara smacked her on the back on the head.

Dean chuckled, shaking his head, and then asked, "Any deaths?"

"Some patients, some staff. I guess it was pretty gory. Some of the bodies were never even recovered, including our chief of staff, Ellicott," Sam said, shooting a meaningful look towards his three companions.

"What do you mean never recovered?" Leonara asked sharply. "How is that even possible?"

"Cops scoured every inch of the place but I guess the patients must've...stuffed the bodies somewhere hidden," Sam explained.

"That's grim," Dean said and Kiran nodded in agreement, shivering slightly.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "So, they transferred all the remaining patients and closed the hospital down."

"So, to sum it up, we've got a bunch of violent deaths and a bunch of unrecovered bodies."

"And a bunch of angry spirits," Sam finished for his brother.

"Good times," Dean said cheerfully and Kiran got a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Let's check out the hospital tonight."

"Oh no," Kiran moaned, burying her head in her hands for a moment. "This night is gonna _suck_."

* * *

Kiran was practically clinging to her twin's hand as they made their way into the asylum. Dean and Sam were talking about something ahead of them and Kiran was trying not to shake as she scanned the room. That was when she saw him. Kiran let out a shriek of terror as the ghost in the straight jacket winked at her before vanishing. "What the hell?" she heard Dean yell as he spun around.

"What is it?" Leonara asked, squeezing her twin's hand.

"T-there was a g-ghost right t-there," Kiran stammered out, point with a shaking hand toward where it had been.

"Are you sure?" Sam asked and Kiran nodded quickly.

"Well it isn't there now," Dean said sharply. "Come on, let's go before any of the other creeps decide to show up." Leonara squeezed her sister's hand and Kiran took a deep breath, nodding nervously. They walked further into the asylum, Kiran trying to work up the courage to release her sister's hand. Before the incident-that-should-not-be-spoken-of she would have been leading the charge but one near death experience in the dark was enough for her. Still, being in the dark after the incident had become almost a phobia to her, one that she couldn't seem to break free of.

The guys split up and Kiran glanced at Leonara, looking for some signal from her sister on what she should do. She felt Lee's grip on her hand loosen for a moment before her sister groaned, body crumpling. Kiran bit down a scream just as she heard Sam call for Dean, knowing the boys didn't need distracted right now. She caught her sister an inch from the floor and lowered her down the rest of the way, eyes focused on her twin's face. The bang of a shotgun echoed behind her but she ignored it. "Lee-Lee," she whispered, cradling her sister's limp body carefully. "Wake up." Her sister mumbled something and Kiran felt her heart sink down into her shoes. "Lee, Cupcake, you gotta come back!" Still nothing. Kiran placed a gentle hand to her sister's forehead and jerked it back at the heat. This was _not good_.

"Come on, come on, come on," she mumbled, shaking Leonara slightly. "Don't do this to me!" No response. Kiran bit back a screech of frustration. "Savannah when I get into the afterlife I'm gonna kill you!" she snarled, taking a deep breath and pulling both Leonara's unresponsive body and her shaky legs into a standing position.

"What's going on here?" Kiran flipped the hair back from her face to look up at Sam.

"Don't ask," she muttered, hooking an arm under her sister's legs and grunting slightly with effort. "Lee-Lee, you've gained weight since we were kids." She heard Sam laugh quietly and her mouth hooked up in a slim smile. "So where's Dean?"

"With a girl named Kat looking for her boyfriend Gavin," Sam replied and Kiran groaned in irritation, for a moment forgetting that the asylum was dark. "I came back to see if you and Lee would help."

"Sure," Kiran said with the best shrug she could manage under the circumstances. "Or rather I'll help and Lee will wake up just in time to tell us we're in mortal danger." Sam nodded and turned, leaving the room with Kiran following slowly behind. "And don't let anything kill me, okay?"

"I promise," Sam said solemnly. Somehow that made her feel better about the whole affair.

* * *

They had searched for almost an hour before they found Gavin. He was sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Kiran actually tripped over him and landed with a yelp on the floor. She had twisted her body so that Leonara was laying on top of her and Sam had to help her get up. That was when Gavin jolted awake with a startled cry. "Hey Gavin, it's okay," Sam quickly reassured the teenager. "We're here to help."

"Who are you?" Gavin demanded in return as Leonara let out a little moan.

"Lee?" Sam heard Kiran question but he forced his attention to stay on Gavin.

"My name is Sam," he explained to the teenager. "Uh, we found your girlfriend."

"Kat?" Gavin asked, scrambling to his feet. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah," Sam reassured Gavin. "She was worried about you. Are you okay?"

"I was running," Gavin said, face creased in thought and one hand rubbing his head lightly. "And I think I fell."

"You were running from what?" Kiran demanded before turning to Sam. "Sammy help me up."

"It's Sam," he corrected but helped Kiran up, taking Leonara from her arms. She shot him a searching look but didn't protest, instead turning back to Gavin.

"Running from what?" she demanded again.

"There was...there was this girl," Gavin explained in a tone that implied he thought it he was crazy. "Her face-it was all messed up."

"Okay listen," Sam said, mind running a hundred miles a minute. "Did this girl try to hurt you?"

"What?" Gavin asked, sounding startled. "No. She uh, she kissed me."

"But she didn't hurt you physically," Sam demanded and Gavin gave him a disgusted look.

"_Dude!_ She kissed me. I'm scarred for life."

"It could have been worse," Kiran cut in, eyes hollow and dark. "She could have ripped you apart." Gavin gulped.

"Do you remember anything else?" Sam pushed, shooting a glare at Kiran.

"She uh-" Gavin hesitated, looking between the pair of hunters. "She tried to whisper something in my ear."

"What?" Sam and Kiran asked at the same time.

"I don't know," Gavin defended. "I ran like hell."

"What are you thinking Sam?" Kiran asked, eyes fixed on his face.

"I'm thinking it's a little odd that this is the third ghost that has approached someone but hasn't tried to hurt them," Sam said slowly. "And I'm thinking that-" A scream tore through the air.

"KAT," Gavin yelled, tearing off in the direction of the scream with Kiran and Sam right on his heels.

"What's going on?" Sam demanded the instant they saw the older Winchester.

"She's inside with one of them," Dean said and Gavin called Kat's name again. Sam and Kiran exchanged glances, Kiran nodding and taking Leonara to allow Sam to step closer to the door. Even as he explained what was going on with the ghosts, that they were trying to tell the intruders something, Sam's mind was fixed on Leonara. It was hard to believe the quiet and contained girl who was always right where she needed to be had simply collapsed in the middle of a hunt, leaving her neurotic, afraid of the dark sister to stand in her place. The lock clicked and Kat pushed the door open and stepped out, face pale and dull.

"Oh Kat," Gavin muttered.

"One thirty-seven," Kat said in a monotone, completely ignoring Gavin.

"Sorry?" Dean asked, face blank.

"It whispered in my ear," Kat replied, slowly coming alive. "One thirty-seven."

"Room number," Sam and Dean said in synch.

"Dr. Ellicott," Kiran cut in, her eyes dark with some kind of unknown emotion.

"Right," Dean said before turning to Kat and Gavin. "Do you guys want to get out of here?"

"I was ready to be out yesterday," Kat returned, color now returned to her cheeks.

"Okay," Dean replied and Sam could see that his brother was planning already. "Sam, Kiran, get them out of here. I"m going to find room 137."

* * *

The walk to get Kat and Gavin out of the asylum went from being a simple job to some kind of nightmare. "Alright," Sam said after trying what felt like the hundredth door to the outside. "I think we have a problem."

"Then break it down," Gavin demanded.

"It's a steel door," Kiran pointed out sharply, shifted nervously as she eyed the walls for any signs of something sinister in the darkness. "I don't think that's going to work." She was holding on by a thread. Any moment she would shatter into a million panicked pieces and in the end there would be no Lee to put her back together. That was the only thought that kept her on the sane edge.

"Then a window," Gavin tried.

"They're barred," Kat pointed out and Kiran was thankful that someone was thinking clearly on this operation.

"Then how are we supposed to get out of here?" Gavin asked, obviously panicking.

"That's the point," Sam said, slowly turning to look at Kiran. "We're not. There's something in here that doesn't want us to leave."

"Those patients?" Kat asked nervously but Sam was already shaking his head.

"No. Something else." He glanced at Kiran again and she met his eyes as steadily as she could, trying to reassuring him that she'd be fine. "I'm going to go look around for any exit we might have missed. Kiran will stay here with you guys, okay?"

"Okay," Kat said, trying to put on her brave face. Gavin nodded nervously beside her and Sam turned, leaving them alone. For a moment there was awkward silence as Kiran leaned her sister gently against the wall.

"So..." Kat said, trailing off awkwardly after a moment, turning to Kiran. "You never said why _you_ were hunting."

"It's kind of a long story," Kiran said, eyes scanning the room constantly for any sign of danger. "Suffice to say that my sister and I were born into it."

"Right," Gavin said with a sarcastic laugh and then yelped as Kat smacked him, cowering under his girlfriend's sour gaze.

"Don't even _think_ you're forgiven," she snarled at him just as Sam came back.

"I've looked everywhere," he announced. "There's no way out."

"So what the hell are we gonna do?" Gavin demanded, turning his anger and fear from Kat to Sam.

"Well for starters we're not going to panic," Kiran said dryly, half to shut him up and half to reassure Sam that she was going to be fine.

"Why the hell not?" Gavin demanded just as Sam's phone rang, making Kat and Gavin jump.

"Hey," Sam said, flipping the phone open. There was a pause and then his expression turned concerned. "Where are you?" Another pause, this one laden with tension. "I'm on my way." He snapped the phone shut and turned to the three of them. "You have a gun Kaia?"

"Yeah," Kiran replied, pulling the handgun out from the back of her jeans. "But I could use backup." She tilted her head toward Kat and Gavin. Sam took the hint.

"Either of you know how to use a shotgun?"

"What?" Gavin yelped. "No!"

"I do," Kat said quietly. Gavin gaped at her and it looked like it took all her will power not to roll her eyes. "My dad took me skeet shooting a couple times."

"Alright, here," Sam said calmly, handing her the shotgun. "It's loaded with rock salt. It may not kill a spirit but it will repel one so if you see something, shoot."

"Okay," Kat agreed but Sam still hesitated a moment.

"We'll be fine," Kiran insisted. "Go!" Sam went. Leaving them alone in the dark.

* * *

Sam had been gone twenty minutes when Gavin began pacing. Kat was leaning against the wall with the shotgun while Kiran stood in military rest position next to Lee. "Hey Gavin," Kat said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" Gavin asked, coming back to crouch next to his girlfriend.

"If we make it out of here alive we are so breaking up." Kat said it in such a matter-of-fact tone that Gavin just gaped at her. Kiran snorted and Kat gave her a slim smile. That was when they all heard the creak. "Did you hear that?" Kat asked in a harsh whisper.

"Something's coming," Gavin said in a low whimper. Kiran lifted the handgun with both hands, steadying it to aim when Kat fired.

"Damn it, damn it! Don't shoot! It's me!" Dean yelped.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Kat yelped back as Kiran lowered the handgun.

"Son of a-" Dean began and then cut himself off as he came around the corner. "What are you still doing here? Where's Sam?"

"He went to the basement," Kiran said, leaning weakly against the wall. "You called him."

"I didn't call anybody," Dean said and Kiran got a sudden sinking feeling in her stomach.

"His cell phone rang," Kat protested. "He said it was you."

"Basement huh?" Dean asked and the sinking feeling got worse. "Alright. Watch yourself. And watch for me." Then he was gone too. This time Kiran was the one pacing while Kat and Gavin huddled against the wall. Her feet clicked lightly across the floor and her nerves grew with each passing second. Leonara moaned and Kiran spun in time to see her twin's eyes flutter.

"Lee-Lee," she said, by her sister's side in an instant.

"Sam," her sister whispered hoarsely. "Look out! Sam? Sam?"

"What's wrong?" Kiran pushed. "Come on Lee-Lee, talk to me!"

"Sam and Dean-attacked," Leonara muttered and then whimpered.

"Got it," Kiran muttered, standing. "Kat, you got everything covered?"

"Y-yeah," Kat said with a shaky smile. "Go save the day." Kiran didn't need more prodding-she went.

* * *

The basement was beyond creepy. It was almost as creepy as the unspeakable-terrible-thing. Kiran was so scared she was shaking and her hands were flickering in and out of view. She took a deep breath and clenched her fists in a vain attempt to stop them from fading in and out of view. Then she stepped into the third room. Instantly she noticed something was wrong with it. There was a big gaping hole in the wall. "Don't be afraid," she heard a voice croon. She didn't need to hear anymore. Instead she sprinted around to corner, lifting the rock salt loaded handgun, and fired into Dr. Ellicott's ghost. He vanished, leaving Dean gasping for breath on the floor. That was when the psychotic doctor appeared right in front of her.

Kiran screamed and stumbled back, whole body flickering out of view for a moment before becoming visible when she crashed to the floor. Dean let out a yell as the doctor began to speak. "Don't be afraid. I'm going to help you. I'm going to make you all better." Kiran whimpered as her eyes followed Dean scrambling for the the salt, gasoline, and lighter. That was when a new voice spoke up.

"Get away from my sister." One flat statement said in a colder voice than Kiran had heard from her twin in a long time.

"I'm going to make her all better," Dr. Ellicott repeated, laughing coldly.

"Get. Away. From. My. Sister." Leonara said, her voice cold as arctic ice. Kiran couldn't see her twin but she could see the white shimmer on the floor that told her Leonara was utilizing her gift. Ellicott turned back to Kiran but she was no longer afraid. "_Get away from my sister!_"Leonara's gift blazed and Ellicott actually went flying back to tumble to the ground, face twisting in a ferocious smile. Then he let out a scream and Kiran flopped back on the floor as he vanished. "You okay?" Lee asked.

"Yeah," Kiran said as Dean and Sam discussed something. "Peachy."

"You sure?" Lee pushed.

"Yeah," Kiran said with a weak smile, still laying on the floor. "Go check on Sammy. And kiss him while you're at it."

"_Kaia_," Leonara protested but she was flushing and smiling in a pleased sort of way as she left to see Sam.

"You okay?" Kiran opened her eyes to see Dean offering her a hand. She took it and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"Yeah," she mumbled. "Peachy."

"Whatever," Dean said, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "Come on shortie-Let's get out of here." For once Kiran didn't protest about the nickname. She was _that_ eager to get out of the asylum.

* * *

Leonara could tell that her twin was blissfully happy to see sunlight again. Kat giggled as Kiran spun into the early morning light when a delighted yelp. "Thanks guys," she said, beaming tiredly at them all.

"Yeah, thanks," Gavin said, holding hands with Kat.

"No more haunt asylums, okay?" Dean said and both nodded before walking to Gavin's car. Leonara, sensing that Sam and Dean wanted to talk alone, walked over to her twin.

"Glad to see the sun?" she asked.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Kiran squealed delightedly, spinning again. Leonara giggled, noticing that Dean couldn't keep his eyes off her sister.

"Don't look now but I think somebody likes you," Leonara teased.

"Whatever," Kiran said but she caught the happiness in her sister's eyes.

"Come on ladies," Dean hollered, interrupting their conversation. "Let's get moving. I want to find some place to sleep."

"_Coming_," Kiran hollered back, throwing an arm around her twin's shoulders.

"You were really brave," Leonara told her twin as they headed for the Impala.

"Anything for you," Kiran returned and Leonara knew without a doubt that she was telling the truth.


	5. Scarecrow

_Hotel Room in Rockford, Illinois_

The phone rang, blaring twice into the sleepy silence before someone answered it. Kiran stirred slightly, living in the world halfway between dreaming and waking, before drifting into the open arms of the nightmare waiting for her.

_She was running, fingers clutched tight in Lee-Lee's as she dragged her twin along after her. "Just a little bit further," she gasped out but her twin was already shaking her head._

_"We're not gonna make it."_

_"Don't think like that. We'll make it."  
_

_"But we're not," Lee protested. "Kaia, I gotta tell you-" But her twin was cut off by a massive bang and Kiran's scream of pain. She toppled to the ground, the world swirling around her, screaming as everything began to turn back. _

_"Lee!" Her sister was jerked away from her and Kiran lifted a weak hand to reach for her sister as foreign faces closed in, painting blurry lines across her vision. "Lee! Leonara!" A hand was shaking her now, shaking her so hard her head bounced against the rough ground. Shaking her and shaking her and refusing to stop-  
_

Kiran's eyes snapped open just as her forehead collided with her twins'. They both yelped, Leonara jerking back and Kiran's head dropping back down to her pillow. Both had a hand to their forehead but Kiran's other hand was at her throat which had started aching when she yelped. It felt dry and scratchy, as if she'd been screaming or she was coming down with a cold. "Sorry," Leonara apologized. "I didn't mean to do that." Kiran shrugged and then tapped her throat once to show her sister why she wasn't talking. "Sore throat?" Kiran nodded and Leonara winced. "Ouch!" Another nod came in reply and Kiran slid her feet off the bed.

"The boys came over a minute ago," Leonara continued after helping her twin to her feet. "We have to pack and get moving. Their dad called and gave us a miss-Whoa! Are you okay?" Kiran silently sighed in relief and leaned against her sister's arm as the room stopped swaying. A cool hand brushed her hair away from her face and felt her forehead. "You're burning up." Kiran shrugged against her sister but made no attempt to move. She was comfortable exactly where she was. "Go take a shower," Lee ordered. "And put on some comfortable clothes. I'll get you a cup of warm tea and pack your things." Kiran nodded woozily and slipped free from her sister's arms, heading for her bags. She almost fell over when she leaned down to open a bag and Leonara had to catch her again and help her pull free a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Kiran stumbled toward the bathroom, knowing her sister was watching every step to make sure she got there safely.

* * *

Sam was almost finished packing when their came a knock at the door. "I've got it," Dean called. His brother was already packed so Sam didn't protest. "You need something Lee?" He looked up to see Leonara leaning against the doorway.

"Kiran's sick so we'll be closer to a half an hour instead of fifteen minutes," she informed.

"Sick as in flu or something?" Dean inquired immediately. "Cause we can always swing back to pick you guys up after this mission." Sam almost laughed at the panic on his older brother's face when Dean inquired about the flu. He probably would have made some kind of comment if he hadn't been so captivated by Leonara. Lately it had become that way. Ever since he had met her, Leonara had captivated him but since their kiss after the events in the asylum he struggled to focus on anyone else when she was in the room. Luckily Lee saved him by making the comment herself.

"Heaven forbid anyone get puke in your precious car," she drawled in a tone that sounded so much like Kiran that both brothers did a double take. "Don't worry. It's just a cold but she doesn't have any voice right now. We'll meet you at the Impala when we're ready to go." Then Leonara breezed out of the room without another word.

"Is it just me or did Lee just turn into her sister?" Dean asked. Sam shrugged in response because there was nothing else really to say to that. "Great," Dean groaned, slumping down on the bed. "Just what I need; two Kirans."

"She did say Kiran couldn't talk," Sam pointed out.

"So she can't talk and I still can't get rid of her," Dean grumbled. "Thanks Sam. That makes me feel a lot better."

"Any time," Sam shot back with a smirk, ducking as a pillow went sailing over his head.

* * *

Driving down the road an hour later Kiran felt just north of miserable. Her head pounded lightly with the early aches of a screaming migraine. Her stomach clenched every once in a while, threatening to bring the tea she had drank back up and her nose was running almost constantly. She was so out of it she didn't notice that Sam and Dean were arguing before Sam pulled over. "We're not going to Indiana."

"We're not?"

"No. We're going to California. Dad called from a payphone. Sacramento area code."

"Sam-"

"Dean if this demon killed Mom and Jess, and Dad's closing in, we've gotta be there. We've gotta help."

"Dad doesn't want our help."

"I don't care."

"He's given us an order."

"I don't care. We don't always have to do what he says."

"Sam, Dad's asking us to work jobs, save lives. It's important."

"Alright, I understand, believe me I understand. But I'm talking one week here, man, to get answers. To get revenge."

"Alright. Look, I know how you feel."

"_Do you?_ How old were you when Mom died? Four? Jess died six months ago. How the hell would you know how I feel?" Even with eyes closed Kiran could practically see the hostility in Sam's tone. She sank deeper down in the seat, lifting a hand to rub her forehead.

"Dad said it wasn't safe. For any of us. I mean, he obviously knows something we don't, so if he says to stay away we stay away."

"I don't understand the blind faith you have in the man. I mean, it's like you don't even question him."

"Yeah, it's called being a good son!" Kiran pried her eyes open when she heard a door slam and saw Sam storm past her window. "You're a selfish bastard. You know that? You just do whatever you want. Don't care what anybody thinks."

"That's what you really think?"

"Yes it is."

"Well this selfish bastard is going to California."

Kiran tugged on her sister's sleeve then, mouthing, "Do something."

"Okay," Leonara mumbled, reaching for her bag. "I'm going, I'm going."

"Come on. You're not serious," Dean called to his brother as Lee got out of the Impala and Sam started walking.

"I am serious," Sam retorted.

"It's the middle of the night! Hey, I'm taking off! I will leave your ass, you hear me?"

"That's what I want you to do." Kiran squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists against the coming wave of pain in her chest. They were _idiots._ "_They'll get over it,"_ Lee reassured her silently but Kiran wasn't so sure.

"Goodbye Sam." Dean turned and slammed the trunk shut, slipping in the Impala and driving off. Kiran leaned her head against the side of the car and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_She woke up in a hospital room, her mouth dry and sandy and her back throbbing. "Wha-what happened?" she croaked out and instantly Lee burst into tears. Kiran blinked and turned to Savanna, startled to see that her older sister was sobbing as well. Tears welled in her own eyes and her breath hitched.  
_

_"Y-y-you were d-d-dead," Leonara sobbed out and Kiran felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. All the air in her lungs whooshed out and for a moment everything was dark and cold and washed in pain. Something started beeping frantically and she heard a nurse shoo her sisters away but all she felt was blind panic. The kind that left a permanent mark._

Kiran woke to beeping in real life. She moaned and then flinched as a wave of pain washed through her body from her throat. She pulled her body up into a sitting position as Dean yanked an EMF meter out of his bag. "What the hell?" He climbed out of the car and Kiran forced herself to follow. Her head ached and shivers ran down her spine as she stumbled out of the car, mouth sandy. Her eyes blurred for a moment and then settled on Dean. She took a brief instant to steady herself and then followed him as quietly as she could into the orchard. Twisted trees towered overhead, leaves unnaturally green while the rest of the state seemed to be having a dry spell. Kiran scowled for a moment, something tugging at her mind before another fever chill washed it away. She turned back to the front and was greeted by the sight of the ugliest scarecrow she had ever had the displeasure of seeing.

It looked like it had been made of human skin with a stitched on mouth and a deadly looking scythe in hand. "Dude, you fugly," she heard Dean say and grimaced before wincing and bringing her hand to her head as it gave another throb. She swiped the sleeve of her sweatshirt across her nose in a vain attempt to stem the mucus that was still dripping from it as Dean compared a picture to a tattoo on the scarecrow's arm. "Nice tat," came the muttered before he turned and saw her. "What the hell are you doing out of the car?"

"Being miserable," Kiran replied, wincing slightly as the words sent another arrow of pain directly into her forehead. She didn't even have enough energy to add a sarcastic comment or protest when Dean slid an arm around her shoulder and guided her back to the car. Instead she slumped back in her seat, head pounding and eyes drifting gratefully closed.

* * *

Kiran was sound asleep when he got back to the gas station so Dean left her in the Impala while he chatted with Emily. It was oddly comforting to have someone in the passenger seat, even though the Kiran that emerged to check out the scarecrow hadn't been entirely there or well enough to make sarcastic remarks. She was still asleep when he returned and drove to the cafe. He considered waking her but one touch to her too hot forehead informed him that sleep would probably be the best thing for her. He fished out a silver gum wrapper and a pen, leaving her a note on the driver's seat in case she woke up while he was gone, and went into the cafe without her.

It was an oddly silent visit. Dean hadn't realized how quickly he'd grown used to Sam's unassuming informational overload, Kiran's barbed wire jibes at anything and everything, and Leonara's gentle soothing and calm rebukes. Without them it even made sitting in the cafe chatting awkwardly without a visiting couple seem too quiet.

Kiran was awake when he got back to the Impala, shivering like crazy even though it wasn't all that cold. "Have fun?" she muttered thickly, wiping at her nose with a messy sweatshirt sleeve.

"Loads," Dean drawled sarcastically, reaching over a hand to touch her forehead again. Her forehead was blazing and adding that to the fact that there wasn't even a grumble or an attempt to shove him off worried Dean more than her incoherency. "You all right?"

"Sick," Kiran replied with a flat look that translated into a pained wince a moment later.

"Yeah," Dean replied. "I know." Kiran's eyes were already drifting shut and as desperately as Dean wanted to get her to somewhere she could rest he also knew time was running out to save the couple he'd met and he had a sneaking suspicion Kiran would kick him into next week once she was better again if he didn't save them. He let out a tired sigh and headed for the orchard.

* * *

Kiran woke up when she heard the shotgun fire. She jerked upright, wincing as her head pounded, and about half crawled out of the Impala. She managed to get on her feet just as a young man and woman burst out of the trees, eyes wide with an all too familiar panic. Dean was right behind them, shotgun in hand, watching the now silent orchard. "What-what the hell was that?" the man asked between ragged breaths.

"Don't ask," Dean told him darkly enough that the woman grabbing on to the man's arm flinched slightly and tugged him away, calling a shaky thank you over her shoulder. He turned to Kiran who was leaning heavily against the Impala and said, "You shouldn't be out here."

"You'd rather I stayed in a possibly let you die?"

"Yes," came the immediate response and Kiran's hazy brain couldn't come up with a retort fast enough for it to matter. Instead she settled for a glare and slipped back into the Impala, fishing with a shaking hand in her pocket to retrieve her cell. It held one text from Madeline with a picture of a german shepherd puppy and one text from Lee informing her twin that she and Sam were at a bus station and fine. Kiran snapped the phone shut with a sign and leaned against the window, eyes slipping shut again. Her sore throat had vanished hours ago but the rest of the symptoms lingered, making it hard to think. Dean didn't say anything, just slipped in the driver's seat and turned up the heat.

"I have another jacket in my bag," Kiran mumbled, realizing a moment later that he wouldn't understand what she was trying to say like Lee would have. Another minute later she realized it might be the fever talking. She giggled hoarsely as her brain decided to take the sentence literally and Dean sighed.

"Go back to sleep," he said and as her eyes drifted shut she felt a jacket drop over her. Her last thought before oblivion was that maybe Dean saw more than he let on.

* * *

Kiran woke up to the generic blaring of her phone. Shivering but mind pleasantly clear, she fished in the seat for the phone, finally finding it dropped on the floor. "Yeah," she answered.

"Kiran?" came her sister's rushed response. "Thank God! Is Dean with you?" That was when Kiran's stomach dropped down to her shoes. A quick glance around the Impala showed that she was alone sitting outside a dark college campus building in a completely empty parking lot.

"No," she said and heard Lee hiss and relate the information to Sam.

A moment later her twin said, "Sam thinks that- Here."

"Hey Kiran?" Sam's voice came over the phone, full of worry. Kiran knew in that moment that Dean was in big trouble.

"An orchard," she said, brain working faster than it had since she'd gotten sick. "With a really creepy scarecrow. It's just outside Burkittsville. I'm on my way now." Even though Dean would probably kill her for driving his car. Kiran ignored that throat, slipping his jacket on and walking around to the driver's seat. Luckily the keys were still in so she didn't have to hotwire it. Kiran grinned weakly at the small blessing and headed for the orchard.

The orchard was dark and chilly enough that with her fever she shivered violently every time the breeze brushed her. It was also creepy as all get out. Kiran almost tripped over a tree root, hissed instead of cussing, and went down anyway. A hand on her elbow made her jump. She tilted her head to one side to see Sam holding his hands up in surrender. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Not my best moment."

"No problem," Sam returned, helping her up. Leonara was right behind him and Kiran took one look at her twin to reassure herself that Lee was okay before heading for where she and Dean had seen the scarecrow.

"Oh my god!" she heard a female voice cry out as they got closer. "_Oh my god_!"

"Dean?" Sam questioned.

"Oh," Dean said, sounding startled first and then delighted. "Oh! I take back everything I said. I'm so happy to see you. Come on." Sam went to untie his brother and Kiran attempted to untie the girl before Leonara's steadier fingers took over for her trembling ones. "How'd you get here?" Dean asked.

"I,uh-" Sam stuttered and then the answer came out in a rush. "I stole a car."

"I think we have a problem." Kiran's voice came out hoarse and raspy but that didn't mean it didn't attract everyone's attention and cut off Dean's delighted laugh. "The scarecrow is gone."

* * *

Leonara knew her sister like she knew the back of her hand. Kiran was loyal, determined, powerful, and terrified of the dark. She was a ray of sunshine during the day that used to shine bright constantly but now faded away to almost nothing in the dark. Unless something distracted her. Now they ran, flat out sprinting through the forest in the hope that they could find a sacred tree and destroy it to stop the demonic scarecrow from killing them. A sick Kiran was utterly focused on running and not tripping instead of the darkness in the woods. She was far too focused to worry about that dark and it was times like these that Leonara wondered what exactly had brought on the fear, what connections her twin's mind had made.

Lee was so focused on her twin that she almost missed two people, one male and one female, taken by the scarecrow as everyone ran screaming and it vanished into the night. Instead she had her arm wrapped around Kaia's shoulders, the other hand lifting up to feel for a fever. Her twin's head was pleasantly cool though Leonara knew from experience that the fever chills would last for a few more hours. It wasn't until they stumbled into the hotel room, one for all four of them because they were two tired to do it separately, that she noticed her sister was wearing Dean's jacket.

* * *

Kiran pulled herself awake as sunlight streamed in through the window. The couch was lumpy under her spine but her mind felt pleasantly focused and alert. One glance showed Lee sleeping curled up in bed, the way her frame was oriented making it obvious that she'd been sharing with someone else. A smile curved at Kiran's mouth before she stretched, vertebrae popping and cracking. She heard Lee mumbled something and saw eyelids flutter as she slipped off the couching, standing and stretching again. "Morning sunshine," she half sang as the door opened and the Winchester brothers slipped into the room. Leonara muttered something under her breath and Kiran grinned. "Love you too." Then she turned to Sam and Dean. "Where are we headed next?"

"We were just planning on getting out of here as soon as possible," Sam replied, smiling at her and then going to shake Leonara fully awake.

"Right," Kiran called, snatching up her bag and then heading for the shower. "I'm taking a shower and then I'll be ready to go."

"Great," she heard Dean mutter as she shut the bathroom door. "She's back." Kiran just shook her head and laughed.


	6. Faith

_Author's__ Note; _I own nothing of Supernatural you recognize. Thanks to_ tigereyekum_ for reviewing the last chapter and enjoy!

* * *

_Abandoned House, Northern Nebraska_

Kiran stood outside the building, hands shoved deep into the pockets of her jacket. Leonara was next to her, shivering in the wind as they waited for Sam and Dean to come out. "I have a bad feeling about this," Leonara muttered.

"It'll be fine," Kiran returned, nudging her sister's shoulder. "It's not like they haven't ever hunted without us."

"I know but-" Leonara cut off as Sam, her boyfriend now, came out of the house with two kids.

"I have to go back for Dean," he said in a rush, pushing the kids toward the two girls before darting back into the house.

"Hey guys," Kiran said, crouching next to the two frightened children. "It's going to be okay. I'm Kiran."

"Lucy," the little girl stammered out after a moment, clutching her brother's hand. "And this is Nate."

"Well, Lucy and Nate," Kiran said, infusing her voice with as much warmth as she could. "You're safe now. Nothing is going to get you." To her surprise Lucy flung herself forward, tackling the crouching blonde. Her brother followed a moment later and Kiran hugged them both tightly, the fear of the dark that had been tugging at her since she had gotten out of the Impala fading away at the trust she was being given. A moment later her peace shattered when Sam screamed up the stairs for one of them to call 911.

* * *

Dean looked horrible. That was the first thought in Leonara's mind. His face was pale and had a yellowish cast too it. Dark bruises lurked around his eyes. He had one foot in death's door and looked almost as bad as Kiran had looked lying dead from a gunshot wound in the hospital. "Have you ever watched daytime TV?" Dean ask as they came in. "It's terrible."

"I talked to your doctor," Sam said after a heavy sigh but his brother ignored him.

"That fabric softener teddy bear," Dean muttered instead of responding to his younger brother. "I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down." Leonara saw Kiran crack a sad smile at that comment and felt a wave of melancholy wash over her. If Dean died from this they were all going to miss him.

"Dean," Sam protested tiredly.

"Yeah," Dean replied reluctantly, shutting off the TV. "All right. Well it looks like you three are going to leave town without me."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, looking torn between tears and anger. "I'm not leaving you here."

"Face it Sam," Kiran spoke up before Dean could reply, voice cool and eyes dark. "Your brother is dying and there's nothing you can do about it."

"You're saying there's no hope," Leonara challenged after seeing the crushed look on her boyfriend's face. How could Kiran be so cruel?

"He's dying from electrocution," Kiran snapped back. "This isn't something you can cure."

"Well if that's the way you think why are you even here?" Lee didn't think about how that would sound until it was already out of her mouth and by then it was too late. Kiran's face shut down, turning into a blank block of ice.

* * *

Kiran felt cold, inside and out, but it wasn't really Lee's fault. Her twin was right. Why was she alive when Dean was going to die? What cosmic plan had involved her being lucky enough to have a sister who healed while Dean was going to pass on? The thought that she had tried to push back for so long surged with a vengeance. What if it was her? Maybe she was cursed, not by a witch or a demon, but by fate to lose everyone she loved. First Mom and Dad, then her boyfriend Ethan, then Savannah, and now De- "No," she said out loud, catching herself in mid sentence. "No, no, no. I am not in love with Dean Winchester. _I am not!_" Shaking the disturbing thoughts off but unable to shake the lump in her throat, Kiran picked up the pace, heading for the main road. Nebraska was busy enough that she should be able to hitch hike the next town over and find a hotel room. She had her wallet on her, with a hundred dollars in cash like she always kept just for emergencies and two credit cards under different names along with her cell, but nothing else. That was okay. She'd leave her sister behind to pick up the pieces with Sam when Dean died and maybe they'd survive together without her dragging them down.

* * *

Dean watched as Leonara ran into the hall, calling after her sister in an increasingly tearful voice. "Man," he said slowly, feeling a wave of guilt. "My death is fucking up everyone, isn't it?"

"No," Lee's wan voice said from the doorway before Sam answered. "That wasn't your fault. That was mine." She sighed and leaned heavily against the doorway, looking down at the floor. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought our problems into yours. You guys will have enough trouble finding someone who can fix Dean without dealing with Kiran and I's mess too."

"Nah, spill it," Dean pressed gently from the bed. "It'll be nice to think of someone else's problems for a bit."

"Okay," Leonara replied, looking tired. "I'll try but it's a long story and storytelling, its not-" She sighed again and cut herself off, looking down at the floor. "It's more of Kiran's strong suit than mine."

"Try," Sam pushed gently and Dean knew that his little brother needed the distraction just as bad as he did.

"Kaia and I's Dad was a deputy in a small town in Indiana when we were younger," Leonara said, not looking up from the floor. "There was this high profile case going on, some bozo who had gotten it into his head to murder another deputy and his family. Dad had locked him up but the guy had friends and promised to take it out on our family if he was given the death penalty. He was sentenced to die two days later. Kaia and I were twelve then and didn't know anything except we weren't supposed to go outside after dark because Mom and Dad didn't want to scare us. Savannah knew but the night it happened Dad was working late and Mom had to go pick Savannah up from volleyball.

"It was stupid in retrospect. I kept trying to convince myself afterwords that we didn't know any better but the truth was I should have looked. Mom and Dad were open books when it came to my gift but I didn't want to know what was going on. Regardless Kiran and I heard barking outside. The neighbors had gotten a new puppy a month ago and it was also getting tangled up in the chicken wire fence we had outside our house. It was my idea to go outside and check on the puppy and I told Kiran to leave a note for Mom and Savannah. When we went outside it was already too late. One of the guys had shot the puppy and the rest of the night was a blur."

There was a long, heavy pause and Leonara glanced up at them, swiping at her eyes. "If I'm not careful when I close my eyes I can still hear Kiran swearing at them in a too high voice, calling them every name under the sun when they separated us. I remember screaming and then getting knocked over the head with something. When I woke up I was alone.

"They kept us apart for two days before they finally threw us together. By then Kiran was twitching at every noise and she hated the dark that way a little kid hates being picked up by a face they don't recognize. Two days later she had pieced herself back together long enough to come up with a plan to get us out. I think they realized something was wrong and they tried interrogating us. Kaia didn't tell them anything, just swore at them a bunch until they realized they had to talk to us separately. I was twelve and scared and I caved." Dean could see tears glistening on Leonara's cheeks as she spoke.

"I didn't tell Kiran and she somehow still got us out but she got shot in the process. She was dying and I was screaming when the police arrived and she was worse when the paramedics showed up. I was losing her and I knew it so I refused to go anywhere but with her. Savannah could heal at the time and when she showed up it should have been too late. There shouldn't have been enough of Kiran left to save and we both knew it but I begged Savannah to try. She agreed. She pulled Kiran partly back and when I knew she couldn't do anymore I offered part of my life up for her. It saved her life but it changed all of us. Savannah couldn't heal any longer. She became addictive to any boy she touched. I started seeing ghosts but I managed to pass it off to Kaia as a late blooming. You see I never told Kiran I was the reason she was shot. I never have."

"Ouch," Dean said softly as Sam intertwined his fingers with his girlfriend's.

"It gets worse," Leonara admitted. "Kiran blames herself because she never left a note for Savannah. She seems to think she's under some kind of curse because people keep dying around her. First there was Mom, then Dad, and then Ethan. He'd asked her to marry him and she was so happy. I don't think I've ever seen her so blissful. They were eighteen and going to graduate in two months and she loved him too much to worry about anything else. Twenty-four hours after he asked her he was found dead in a ditch. We were living in Cape Girardeau in Missouri at the time and some drunk driver hit him and drove off. Then Savannah died and now I've pushed the wrong buttons and lost her."

* * *

Twenty-four hours in to running away and Kiran Ellis was still awake. The hotel wifi was slower than molasses but it worked and Kiran was slowly working her way through the list of supernatural "healers" when her phone lit up. Cupcake glimmered in the phone's blue light and Kiran felt tears prickle against her eyelids as she let it go to voicemail. After the call ended she couldn't help but pick it up and dial her voicemail. After she put the password in she waited while the automated voice informed her she had one new message and then winced at the sound of her twin's broken voice. "Listen, Kaia, I know you're hurt but I just wanted to say I'm sorry. What I said, I didn't mean all that. Please just- anyway if you want to come back we're going to see a faith healer in Nebraska by the name of Le Grange. I'll call you and let you know if it worked. Love you. Bye." Kiran hung up and turned back to the ancient computer she was on.

Four hours of research later and Kiran had a very bad feeling. Curious about whether Roy Le Grange was a genuine healer gifted by God or a convincing fake, she had cross referenced the date of every healing his wife Sue-Ann had listed on their modest website, Le Grange himself being blind, with the local paper. What she had found was nothing short of terrifying. At the exact time every person was listed to be healed someone else in the surrounding area had died. She wouldn't know for sure until she received confirmation that Dean had been healed but Kiran had a feeling that something very fishy was going on.

* * *

It was surprising how eight hours of sleep could improve your mental function. Sometime while she was out of it Leonara had called to inform her that Dean had been healed. The doctors called it a miracle but after looking at the article about the death of Marshall Hall, Kiran wasn't so sure. It looked like an old life for a life system but there were only two supernatural beings she had ever heard of making the change. The first were demons but it was unlikely a so called pious woman, and Kiran had no doubt that it was Sue-Ann doing the duping because Roy's miraculous recovery was on its own far too suspicious, would stoop so far as to calling a demon. Further proof was that demons usually left traces of sulfur and their victims a bloody and soulless mess while the victims like Marshall Hall simply seemed to have collapsed and died from the same problems the healed had been suffering from. That left Reapers and if it was a Reaper someone was probably going to die. Kiran threw closed her room behind her, glad she had paid beforehand, and handed in the keys at the front desk before heading outside. She would hitchhike if need be but she had to get to the Winchesters and her sister before it was too late.

* * *

He couldn't breath. Dean choked, gasping for his last breaths as the Reaper touched the side of his face. "_Wait!_" A familiar voice called out across the parking lot and there was Kiran Ellis looking like a mess with clothes from two days ago and her flaxen hair in a sloppy ponytail. The Reaper hesitated slightly and Dean felt some of the air slip back into his lungs. "Look, I know you don't have a choice in killing someone but take me instead. He has a brother who needs him and I- I just get people hurt." Dean opened his mouth to protest but he didn't have any air to do so, even after the Reaper had dropped him and reached out almost tenderly to brush Kiran's cheek. Instantly her face turned pale, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she dropped to her knees. Sue Ann came into view, clutching a cross and chanting. Dean tried to climb to her feet to stop her but Sam beat him to the punch, grabbing the cross and throwing it to the ground.

The Reaper stopped, a look of triumph on his gaunt face before he turned and headed toward Sue Ann. "My God what have you done?" she screamed at Sam.

"He isn't your God," Dean heard Sam say but he was more concerned with Kiran who managed to look lost and devastated all at the same time. Then her eyes met his and she let out a choked sob, tears trailing down her cheeks. Dean scrambled to his feet and made his way over to her, gathering her up in his arms.

"Hey, hey," he whispered against her hair. "It's gonna be okay." She sobbed against his shoulder until she could pull herself together and they made their way to the Impala, Kiran slipping in the back with her sister almost as if nothing had changed.

* * *

Kiran woke up just in time to see a pretty girl leave from talking with Dean. She sighed and reached a hand up to greasy hair, standing and heading for the shower. She paused only to grab her bag so she could get out a fresh change of clothes. She was in desperate need of a shower and her face felt swollen from all the crying she'd been doing. Twenty minutes in the shower improved her outlook on life significantly and when she stepped outside the bathroom, braiding her still damp hair, Sam came over and hugged her. "Welcome back," he said and for the first time in two days she smiled.

"Good to be back," she replied, not quite daring to look at Dean. "So where to next?"

"I was thinking Iowa," Leonara said, already picking up her bag. "What do you think?"

"Iowa," Kiran said thoughtfully. "Yeah. Iowa sounds good."


	7. In Flagrante Delicto

_Before we begin; _This is when things get a lot more off track from the original season one. This is an episode of my own making called "In Flagrante Delicto" which is a Latin phrase that means in blazing offense (basically to be caught in the act of committing a crime). Things will get back on track, somewhat, for Route 666 but the deaths will be a little different when they finally arrive. Also thank you to _tigereyekum_ (Yeah but we have a while before acknowledgement for either of them) for reviewing the last chapter! I own nothing of Supernatural you recognize.

* * *

_Riverton, Iowa_

The cafe was one of those old chrome and paint monstrosities; streetlights glimmering off the shiny metal and emphasizing the baby blue paint. A neon lit sign said the cafe, Mama's Rest Stop, was open for business even at one in the morning. Sam Winchester sighed, half in relief at the prospect of being able to stretch his legs and half in exasperation at his brother's choice. He leaned back in his seat to wake his girlfriend, her eyes already opening before his hand brushed her arm. Leonara Ellis may have been able to only read open minds but intentions toward her were an open book. Leonara glanced out the Impala's windshield before glaring slightly at the sight of the cafe. "More greasy fast food alternatives?" she asked, not waiting for Sam's shrug as she turned to glance at her twin. "Up and at 'em Kaia."

Kiran Ellis groaned and cracked open her eyes, glaring in the general direction of her twin. "What'd you wake me up for?"

"It's time to eat," Leonara explained patiently and was rewarded with another groan.

"You were hungry four hours ago," Dean commented, unwisely jumping into the conversation.

"That was _four hours ago_," Kiran muttered sleepily. "I was sleeping," she added petulantly, as if that changed anything. Then she burrowed back under the blaket she had dug out of her bag two hours ago and promptly closed her eyes.

"_Kiran,_" Leonara pushed, looking torn between annoyance and tolerant amusement.

"_Lee,_" Kiran parroted back, already slipping obediently out of the Impala. "Fine. I'm coming."

"Good, I'm starving," Dean interjected.

"If you would have stopped four hours ago when I first mentioned being hungry everyone would have moved a lot faster," Kiran shot back, eyes brightening as the impending argument gave her something else to focus on besides her exhaustion and hunger.

"There was nowhere to stop four hours ago!" Dean exclaimed. Sam shook his head as he watched the pair of them bicker back and forth. Dean and Kiran weren't in a relationship per say but they were close. It was obvious to outsiders in the playful way the argued and the way their bodies angled toward one another even when they weren't watching each other.

"They like to argue, don't they?" Leonara slipped her hand into his, smiling fondly at their siblings.

"Too much," Sam agreed with a laugh as they followed Dean and Kiran into the cafe. A chubby yet cheerful waitress seated them at a round aluminum table, the plastic of the chair cushions creaking as they sat. She bustled off to grab them menus and Sam took the opportunity to glance around.

There were three other customers at the cafe; two tired looking brunettes drinking coffee and flipping tiredly through old editions of _Vogue_ and an older cop who kept stealing glances at their table. Sam felt a twist of worry, wondering if the man recognized Dean from the ordeal in St. Louis. The faster they got their food and got out of the cafe the better Sam would feel. Their waitress was just coming back out with laminated menus tucked under one arm and talking over her shoulder to the short order cook when the cop stood and made his way over to their table. He stopped behind Kiran and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. Her face radiated confusion up until the moment she turned and saw who was tapping on her shoulder.

Sam stared in astonishment as the cop drew a frozen faced Kiran to her feet and began cuffing her hands behind her back. "Kiran Ellis you are under arrest for the murder of Salena Beck. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights?"

"Yes," Kiran said coolly, not meeting Sam's eyes.

"With these rights in mind do you wish to speak to me?" the cop asked.

"No," Kiran replied in that cold voice. She said nothing more as she was led away.

* * *

_3 Years_ _Ago _

_Kiran Ellis shook her too short hair out of her face as the EMS truck jerked to a stop, sighing in exasperation. On their last hunt together the three sisters had encountered a seriously pissed off spirit leaking ectoplasm everywhere. They had killed the spirit, well dismissed it really, but the gooey junk had gotten into Kiran's hair, forcing her to chop it so short that it barely came to below her ears. She jumped out of the back of the vehicle as soon as it was at rest, wincing at the sight of the car crash. The two cars had collided head on, the rusty blue Toyota smoking slightly and the battered red Honda filling the night with the sound of creaking metal. Kiran went to the Toyota first, checking the occupants. The man was dead and by the odd angle his head was twisted Kiran guessed his neck had snapped on impact. The woman, pretty and blonde, was still breathing but with a horrid, raspy sound. "TOMMY!" Kiran yelled, calling for the driver of the EMS vehicle. She knew there was another coming soon but this woman wasn't in good shape. "GET THE STRETCHER!" _

_Tommy did as he was told, carefully helping Kiran lift the woman on to it and get her in the back of the truck. The second vehicle, the Honda, had an unconscious woman with long black hair leaning up against the steering wheel. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with her but she wouldn't wake so Kiran and Tommy loaded her up in the back and headed toward the hospital with sirens blaring, Tommy radioing in to let the next paramedics and the police know about the dead body. That was when things started to go south._

_Kiran had just turned her back for a moment to stabilizing something as they went over a bump when she heard something crack. She spun around to see the dark haired woman with a second set of shark like teeth lunge for the unconscious blonde. Kiran lunged, grabbing the dark haired girl and trying to jerk her back only to be swatted ineffectually aside. Her fingers then reached for the knife she always carried, just in case, and she jerked it out, balancing herself and slicing the woman's head off. It fell with a dull thump on the floor and that was when Kiran started panicking._

_Quickly she sheathed the knife, snatching up the woman's head as the teeth automatically retracted and working to sew it loosely back on, covering up the stitching with medical tape. She accompanied the body of the vampire and the still living woman into the hospital and then slipped into the bathroom, already reaching for her phone and dialing her sister. "Are you finished early?" Leonara asked, answering after the first ring. Kiran trembled as she pressed herself against the back wall fighting off a sob._

_"I have a problem," Kiran said shakily. "One of the victims at a car crash was a vampire. She was trying to eat the other one but I'm pretty sure no one would take that as an excuse for cutting off her head."_

_"Okay," Leonara said gently. "Take deep breaths Kaia. Now I want you to straighten up and walk straight outside of the hospital. Savannah will be there in five minutes to pick you up. I'll pack and we'll leave town, okay?"_

_"Okay," Kiran said weakly. _

_"Good girl," Lee replied. "I'll see you soon." Then she hung up. Twenty-four hours later Kiran Ellis was missing from town with her sisters and wanted for the murder of Salena Beck._

* * *

"So she's under arrest for killing a vampire three years ago?" Sam asked, just to make sure he was hearing her correctly.

"Yeah," Leonara said tiredly. "But what police officer in his or her right mind is going to believe _that_?"

"No one," Dean said, glancing up from the TV. "So tell me you have a plan."

"No," Lee admitted, shaking her head. "And I need one. We need one. Kiran will call in twenty-four hours and I have to come up with some kind of solution before then."

"We could call Caleb," Dean suggested. "Maybe even Pastor Jim. They don't live too far from here."

"Would they even be willing to help?" Sam shot back. "I mean we're asking them to come to Iowa to help a girl they don't even know."

"Jim would," Dean said and Sam let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"Fine," he snapped at his brother. "You call them and ask them." Then as his brother pulled out his cell phone Sam turned to Leonara. "Anyone you know that you can call?"

"Already on it," Leonara said, dialing and then pressing her phone to her ear. "Hey Maddy. How are you? Good. Can I talk to Salem?"

At the same time Sam heard Dean say, "Hey Jim."

* * *

Jim Murphy dropped the kitchen knife when the phone rang shrilly from the wall. It scattered a few chopped carrots but he ignored them, wiping his hands off on a towel and then picking up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Jim," a familiar voice said on the other end.

"Dean?" Jim asked. "Dean Winchester?"

"Yeah," Dean replied tiredly. "Look Pastor Jim, Sam and I need some help."

"Where are you?" Jim asked immediately, already heading for his bedroom to grab an overnight bag. He had known the Winchesters since they were young and he knew that Dean rarely, if ever, asked for help.

"Riverton, Iowa," Dean replied, sounding tired. "Look Jim, I'm calling Caleb too."

"Good," he replied, knowing that Caleb could probably get to the boys faster than he could. "I'll be there as soon as possible." Then he hung up, tossing the cordless phone aside and digging out some spare clothes to shove into his bag.

* * *

"How did you do it?"

Kiran Ellis glanced up from the metal table she had been studying, trying to figure out what the balding police officer was talking about. "I don't know how you did it but I'm damn well going to get some answers. How did you get to her?"

"Get to who?" Kiran asked. The man looked dangerously close to breaking and she had a feeling it wasn't because of Salena Beck.

Sure enough he exploded, lunging at her and slamming his hands against the table. "Don't give me that you little bitch! _How did you get to her?"_

_"Get to WHO?"_ Kiran yelled back, lunging to her feet.

"JEREMY!" another voice barked and a tall black woman stormed into the room. "_Enough._"

"She took her!" Jeremy shot back, eyes bright with anger and glistening with tears. "I KNOW SHE DID!"

"_Out_," The black woman demanded and Jeremy turned, fleeing the room. The black woman turned to follow but Kiran called after her.

"_Wait!_"

"What?" the woman snapped. "If you don't know it now I'm telling you; I don't have time for games."

"Please," Kiran begged. "Who am I supposed to have taken?"

"Katy Harris," the woman replied coldly before turning and leaving.

Four miles away Leonara was staring in shock at the television and announcing, "Guys, we may have a problem."

* * *

Caleb doubled checked the name of the hotel and the room number Dean had given him before walking over and pounding on the door. He heard the soft brush of footsteps and a moment's pause before the lock was released and the door opened. Sam's tired face, higher up than Caleb remembered it to be, appeared and managed a weak smile. "Come on in." He stepped aside and Caleb entered the shadow filled hotel room. All the blinds had been drawn shut and the lights were off so the flickering of the television brought the room to eerie life. Dean was sitting on the bed closest to the door, handgun ready to fire, but the older Winchester brother relaxed when he saw it was Caleb. The only other occupant was a blonde haired girl, her face lit up by the blue glow of a laptop screen. She barely glanced up at him before turning back to whatever she was working on.

"Thanks for coming," Dean said, sounding as tired as his younger brother looked.

"You said you had a problem," Caleb said, leaning against the wall as the door clicked shut behind him. "What is it?"

"Vampires," the blonde said, not glancing up from the computer screen.

"And who exactly are you?" Caleb asked sharply.

"Leonara Ellis," Dean cut in. "Sammy's girlfriend. It's her sister that the trouble revolves around."

"What exactly do you mean?" Caleb asked warily. He wasn't about to walk into a job completely blind.

"Three years ago my sisters and I lived here," Leonara explained, looking up from her laptop. "Kiran was an on call paramedic and one of the so called people she was supposed to save was a vampire she ended up killing. That's why she's in the police station. The weird thing is that another paramedic that used to work with Kiran, Katy Harris, was just kidnapped a few hours ago and they found Kiran's hair at the scene even though she's been arrested."

"And the vampires?" Caleb pushed.

"There was more than one involved," Leonara said. "And one of them is trying to frame my sister."

* * *

Sitting twenty-four hours inside a police interrogation room was not pleasant. Kiran's back ached and her throat felt dry and sandy. The black woman came marching in with two cups of steaming coffee, one of which she placed in front of Kiran. "Drink up," she ordered and Kiran obliged without protest.

Once she was finished she asked, "Mind if I have my phone call now?"

"Fine," the woman said sharply, handing over her cell phone. "But I'm staying in the room." Kiran nodded and dialed the number from memory. Her sister picked up on the third ring.

"Yeah?"

"Hey," Kiran responded. "Guess what?"

"You're in jail," Leonara said and Kiran could almost see her twin rolling her eyes.

"Bingo," she said cheerfully. "You win a prize. So what's the game plan."

"A man's going to come see you," her sister replied. "An older guy by the name of Pastor Jim. Once he arrives they're going to let you talk to him alone. That's when you're going to vanish and just walk out of the prison cell. Understand?"

"Yeah," Kiran said calmly. "Bye." Then she turned to the black woman. "What did you want to talk about?"

* * *

The cell was dark but the blonde girl giving him a reluctantly smile seemed comfortable enough. "You must be Pastor Jim," she said as soon as the cops left them alone.

"Jim Murphy," he replied, offering his hand to the girl through the bars. "I'm an old friend of the Winchesters."

"Kiran Ellis," the girl replied, taking his hand in her own for a moment before letting go. "Nice to meet you."

"You know the plan, right?" Jim asked, not entirely sure how it would work. Leonara hadn't reassured him much, simply saying that it would.

"Yeah," Kiran replied, shooting him a reassuring grin. "It'll work just fine." Then as footsteps came clicking toward them she winked at him and then vanished.

* * *

The knock on the door was brisk and unapologetic. "Who is it?" Dean called.

"It's me asshole," came the barbed response and Leonara was too relieved to see her twin standing in the doorway to berate her about the cussing. Instead she shoved Dean aside and flung her arms around her younger sibling. Kiran hugged her back fiercely, eyes bright with an almost frantic energy. After a moment her twin shoved her away, laughing and saying, "I missed you too but we do have work to do."

"Not really," Leonara admitted. "Remember that other girl who came to see Salena Beck in the hospital?"

"Amy Newman?" Kiran asked, pulling the name out of her head immediately just as Lee had known she would.

"Yeah," Leonara said, aware of Caleb, the Winchester boys, and Pastor Jim preparing behind her. "Well she's a vampire too. They killed Katy Harris-" Then she froze, seeing her sister suck in a breath.

"Killed?" Kiran questioned weakly.

"Oh," Leonara said, taking in the sucker punched expression on her sister's face. "I'm sorry." Kiran waved off the apology, motioning for her sister to continue. "She and her friends have taken Emma Porter. We're going to go save her."

"Where's my stuff then," Kiran demanded and Leonara steeled herself for the final blow.

"You can't come with us."

"_Excuse me_?" The room fell completely silent, all eyes on the sisters.

"You're wanted for murder," Leonara explained, silently begging her sister to understand.

"Fine," Kiran said after a heavy moment. "But if you're gone for more than an hour without calling me a letting me know everything's fine I'm coming after you."

"I'll leave an address," Leonara said, letting a relieved smile cross her face and then turning to gather her own gear.

* * *

Kiran paced the room, glancing at the hateful blue numbers of the digital clock. It had only been fifteen minutes and yet everything was screaming inside her that something was horribly, terribly wrong. Another minute passed and suddenly Kiran knew she couldn't take it any longer. She stood and walked to the front hotel office, keeping her hair shielding her face as she asked for a phone book and searched through it. The number listed was a cell and Kiran wrote it down on a piece of hotel paper before thanking the receptionist and handing it back to her. Back inside the hotel room she dialed the number and waited.

"This is detective Morrison," a clear female voice said.

"Hi Candy," Kiran said in return and heard the sound of indrawn breath.

"Who is this?" Candice Morrison asked warily.

"You know who it is," Kiran replied and heard and angry sigh.

"Kiran Ellis." Kiran winced at the sneered voice but her worry for Leonara overrode her urge to hang up the phone.

"Look," she said, knowing her words were about to spill over one another. "I'm not the one doing this, _I swear_. But I need your help. My sister is out there and-"

"Why should I help you?" Candice retorted, sounding so unlike the girl Kiran had known that she flinched. The old Candice Morrison preferred to go by the name Candy and wore a constant stream of pink just to remind the mostly male police department that she was a girl and proud of it. This Candy sounded tough as nails and colder than artic ice.

"Because if I'm lying you can bring me in," Kiran blurted desperately. "Look my sister is in danger and I need to get to her on time. _Please._"

"Fine," Candy said after a long pause. "Where are you at?" Kiran told her and then all there was left to do was wait.

* * *

Sitting in an abandoned barn being held hostage by a group of vampires was not on Caleb's top ten things to do before he died and for that he was highly tempted to reach over and start throttling the nearest Winchester boy. That, however, would be counterproductive to his plan of staying alive because the two vampires with guns would probably shoot him if he did. Instead he was forced to sit and bide his time. Sam Winchester was sitting farthest away from him, his arm around Leonara Ellis. Next to Leonara was a skinny girl with a mass of dark curls who didn't look older than sixteen unless you looked straight in her eyes. Then she looked like she should have been a hundred. Next to the girl was Pastor Jim, looking tired but calm. Closest to Caleb was Dean, looking as if he would have rather been in front of his younger brother.

"It's so nice to see you again." The speaker was a coldly beautiful vampire girl with long brown hair and big blue eyes. "It's been a long time."

"Three years," Leonara said, her voice colder than he had thought it could get. "Was not long enough."

"It was too long for me," the vampire purred. "Especially after your sister killed mine."

"Salena Beck was your sister?" Leonara asked, sounding slightly surprised.

"Yes," the other girl snapped. "Not that you'd care."

"Your sister was crashing into people and then murdering them in the EMS vehicles they were picked up in."

"That's beside the point," the vampire girl hissed and Caleb saw the dark haired girl's eyes narrow.

"Wait, wait, wait," the dark haired girl said. "Clear up something for me. Your sister was killing people and that's why Kiran killed her?"

"Yes," vampire girl snapped. "And that's why she's going to be taken down for the murders of the rest of you." Vampire girl pulled out a handgun, taking the safety off and aiming directly at Leonara Ellis's forehead. "Say goodbye."

There was a frozen moment and then Kiran Ellis appeared out of thin air. Caleb gaped, watching the arch of silver as she swung a machete through the air to slice off the vampire girl's head. "Goodbye," she said with wickedly good cheer, kicking the head lightly with one foot as the body crumpled to the ground. The vampires with machine guns whirled to face her but by the time they took aim she was gone and a tall blonde was jumping through a window and firing into the back of the nearest vampire.

It was all over in a matter of minutes; the bodies of the five vampires that had been holding them hostage slumped on the ground. Dean was talking to Kiran, motioning toward Caleb and Pastor Jim, probably introducing them. The blonde cop and the dark haired one were comparing notes. "Hey Kiran," the blonde called, turning to face the second Ellis.

"Yeah?" Kiran called back.

"Emma has a recording of that girl admitting to everything. We'll get you cleared."

"Thanks Candice," Kiran said, genuine delight on her face.

"No problem," Candice replied, turning to leave before pausing and turning back. "And by the way, it's Candy."

* * *

Kiran watched as Caleb slammed the passenger door of his truck shut after packing the last of his arsenal away. Pastor Jim had already left an hour ago but Caleb had more things to pack up, at least when you considered the sheer amount of weaponry he carried around. The early morning news had already blared the story of Kiran's innocence and everything was going back to normal. "Hey," Kiran called and he turned to glance at her, another new face to add to her list of Winchester acquaintances. "Thanks." Caleb gave a nod and climbed into his truck, pulling away. Kiran grinned as she watched him go and then headed back into the hotel room to pack.


	8. Route 666

_Thanks to _tigereyekum_ (not too much longer. I'm going to start it in the next chapter but I had to get through Cassie first.) for reviewing the last chapter! I own nothing of Supernatural you recognize._

* * *

_Gas Station in Iowa_

Kiran Ellis leaned against the warm black exterior of the Impala, watching cars zoom by on the road. Dean was chatting to someone on the phone and Leonara and Sam were pouring over a map, trying to find a detour past the construction for which signs had begun popping up the further they drove. "Ok," Sam said as Dean hung up and came back over to them. "I think we found a way to bypass the construction. We might even be in Pennsylvania sooner than we thought."

"Yeah," Dean agreed absentmindedly, shoving his phone back in his pocket before turning and glancing around the group. "Problem is, we're not going to Pennsylvania."

"We what?" Sam asked as Kiran and Leonara gaped at Dean.

"I just got a call from an, uh," Dean paused awkwardly glancing at Kiran before turning back to Sam. "An old friend. Her father was killed last night and she thinks it might be our kind of thing."

"What?" Sam and Leonara snapped in unison.

"Yeah," Dean said, suddenly sounding determined. "And believe me she wouldn't have called if she didn't need our help." Then he turned and climbed into the Impala. "Are you guys coming or not?"

* * *

Leonara's head throbbed from the headache that Sam and Dean's argument had resulted in. Beside her Kiran was unusually silent, studying the town hall of Cape Girardeau with interest, as if it had changed since they had lived there last. Cassie Robinson, just as heartbreakingly beautiful as she'd been when they lived in Cape Girardeau last, was arguing with the mayor of the town. Her dark curls flared wildly around her face and Lee could tell from her posture that whatever was being said was seriously ticking her off. Then Cassie turned and those deep brown eyes widened as she took in the group. The mayor and her companion, Jimmy, said something before walking off, leaving them alone with Cassie.

Leonara stiffened instantly as Cassie took two steps forward and flung her arms around Kiran. The two girls had been close friends before the move but now, with Dean and Cassie's relationship lurking just beneath the surface Lee was unsure how her twin would react. She shouldn't have worried. Cassie and Kiran had been best friends before the move that had separated them and no boy was going to throw them at odds with each other. Kiran laughed, hugging Cassie back. "Good to see you too," she said and then pulled away from Cassie, adding quietly, "We're sorry about your dad."

"It's okay," Cassie said before looking at the figure lurking awkwardly behind them. "Dean."

"Hey Cassie," he said, sounding more out of place than Kiran had ever heard him. They stared for a moment until Sam cleared his throat and Kiran nudged Cassie. Then they both blushed and looked away. "Um, this is my brother Sam," Dean said after a moment. "Sorry 'bout your dad."

"Yeah," Cassie said softly. "Me too." Then she turned and beckoned at them, leading them out of the building. Cassie led them into the courthouse and into a private room. As their old friend explained what was going on, Lee watched her sister. Kiran had a distant look on her face. She was gazing around the room, probably seeing the detective giving us the verdict on their father's death. "Oh," Cassie said suddenly, catching Kiran's lost look. "I'm sorry. I didn't think."

"It's okay," Kiran said, giving Cassie a worn smile. "I just- I'm going for a walk."

"Do you want me to come?" Lee asked as her sister fled toward the door but Kiran just shook her head and kept going.

"What the hell is going on here?" Dean snapped, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Kaia and I lived in Cape Girardeau for a while," Lee replied. "Before our dad was-" Her eyes met Cassie's, wide with shock. "You think?" she asked.

"It's a possibility," Cassie admitted.

"_What?"_ Dean asked, sounding exasperated.

"Our dad was killed in a hit and run accident," Leonara said. "And nobody could find the truck."

* * *

Gravel crunched under Kiran's feet as she jogged down familiar winding roads. Her mind was whirring with old memories of her father's tired face after mom had died and her boyfriend's funeral. The crunch of metal caught her attention and she picked up the pace only to find she was too late. An ancient and battered truck with Jimmy sitting slumped inside it. Kiran pressed two fingers carefully to his neck but there was no pulse. She cursed under her breath and dialed 911.

Twenty minutes later Cassie was arguing was arguing with the mayor while Sam, Dean, and Leonara lurked behind her. "Who's this?" the man asked, seeming to want to change the subject.

"Sam and Dean Winchester, family friends. This is Mayor Harold Todd," Cassie said sharply, narrowing her eyes at the mayor. "And you remember Kiran and Leonara Ellis."

Mr. Todd sighed and gave in to Cassie's silent prodding. "There's one set of tire tracks. One doesn't point to foul play."

"Mayor, the police and town officials take their cues from you. If you're indifferent about..." Cassie tried.

"Indifferent?" the mayor asked, sounding shocked.

"Would you close the road if the victims were white?" Cassie snapped and Kiran groaned. Even ever calm and level tempered Leonara rolled her eyes.

"Seriously Cassie?" Kiran asked and Cassie spun on her.

"What?" the other girl snapped, arms folded over her chest. "You're expecting me to believe that this isn't connected?"

"Exactly," Kiran snapped back. "Do you know how many hit and runs there are in a year? How many I've had to deal with? Eleven percent of all crashes are hit and runs and one in five pedestrian fatalities are hit and runs. Two deaths are not a cause for a murder investigation. So you know what? Right now you're just being the little girl that cried racist. _Again_." Then Kiran turned and stalked off, exasperated.

"And I'm the last person you should accuse of being racist," Mayor Todd added firmly.

"And why is that?" Cassie snapped, turning her anger at Kiran on the mayor.

"Why don't you ask your mother," Mayor Todd suggested and walked away.

* * *

"Honestly does she ever think about how she sounds?"

Leonara sighed and sank down on her bed as Kiran ranted. "The only thing that ever bothered me about Cassie was that if anyone stood against what she believed then she yells racist whether they are or aren't." Lee would have made some comment about Dean but she knew when Kiran was being fully honest and there wasn't a bit a jealousy there. There's was simply anger and a little bit of..._relief?_

"Oh Kaia," Leonara sighed and her sister wilted.

"I know," Kiran said, sinking down on the bed next to Lee. "But I won't be jealous of Cassie. _I won't._ She deserves some happiness in her life and me? You know how it always works out with me."

"Ethan," Leonara pointed out gently.

"Is dead," Kiran said harshly. "Honestly Lee! Just because you found a guy doesn't mean I need one. You're being ridiculous!"

"I'm being me," Lee said and Kiran gave up with a laugh.

"Love you," Kiran said.

"Love you too," Lee replied. "Now go take a shower. You stink." Kiran laughed and bounced to her feet, heading for the shower. Leonara smiled and allowed her eyes to drift close.

* * *

Standing in the snow, Kiran shivered as she listened to the paramedics speaking. Beside her Lee clutched a styrofoam cup of hot chocolate and tried not to look ill. Sam and Dean were comparing notes and Kiran was mumbling about phantom trucks under her breath. "You think it was the same one that killed dad?" Lee asked her sister.

"Yeah," Kiran said darkly, glaring as the silent EMS vehicle drove away. "I'm sure of it. Come on, we have a file to dig up."

They had just dug through their dad's case file when Sam and Dean came in, saying something about the Dorian house and the disappearance of Cyrus Dorian. "Dean!" Kiran burst out suddenly and Leonara became aware of a cell phone ringing in the suddenly silent room. "Phone!" Then she stood already heading for her coat. "Come on Lee," she mumbled as they heard Dean's almost desperate tone. "I bet we need to go save Cassie."

Sure enough ten minutes later they were all sitting in Cassie's living room while she trembled and clutched a tea cup. "You didn't see who was driving the truck?" Sam asked and Cassie nodded.

"Seemed like no one," she replied. "Everything was moving so fast. And then it was just gone. Why didn't it kill us?"

"Whoever is controlling it wants you to be scared first," Dean replied, causing Kiran to scowl at the table in front of her.

"Mrs Robinson, Cassie said that your husband saw the truck before he died," Sam said, turning to Cassie's mother.

"Mom?" Cassie prodded, nudging her shivering mother.

"Oh. Martin was under a lot of stress. You can't be sure about what he was seeing." Her voice was small but she couldn't quite look them in the eye when she spoke.

"Well after tonight I think we can be reasonably sure he was seeing a truck. What happened tonight, you and Cassie are marked. Ok? Your daughter could die. So if you know something now would be a really good time to tell us about it," Dean snapped.

"Dean!" Cassie protested but Kiran held up a hand to stop her friend from further protestation.

"Yes. Yes, he said he saw a truck," Cassie's mother said, tears dripping down her face.

"Did he know who it belonged to?" Sam pressed gently.

"Cyrus," Mrs. Robinson said with a choked sob. "A man named Cyrus."

"Is this Cyrus?" Dean asked, handing over an old newspaper article.

"Cyrus Dorian died more than 40 years ago," Mrs. Robinson said hollowly.

"How do you know he died, Mrs Robinson? The paper's said he went missing. How do you know he died?" Dean asked quietly and everyone leaned forward for the answer.

"We were all very young. I dated Cyrus a while, I was also seeing Martin...in secret of course. Inter-racial couples didn't go over too well back then. When I broke it off with Cyrus and when he found out about Martin, I don't know, he, changed. His hatred. His hatred was frightening," Mrs. Robinson replied very softly.

"The murders," Sam said and Mrs. Robinson began to cry.

" There were rumours. People of colour disappearing into some kind of a truck. Nothing was ever done. Martin and a... Martin and I, we were gunna be, uh, married in that little church near here, but last minute we decided to elope as we didn't want the attention."

"And Cyrus?" Dean prodded.

"The day we set for the wedding, was the day someone set fire to the church. There was a children's choir practising in there. They all died," Mrs. Robinson said, crying harder.

"Did the attacks stop after that?" Sam questioned.

"No! There was one more. One night that truck came for Martin. Cyrus beat him something terrible. But Martin, you see, Martin got loose. And he started hitting Cyrus and he just kept hitting him and hitting him."

"Why didn't you call the cops?" Dean asked.

"This was forty years ago. He called on his friends, Clayton Soames and Jimmy Anderson, and they put Cyrus' body into the truck and they rolled it into the swamp at the end of his land and all three of them kept that secret all of these years."

"And now all three are gone," Sam said.

"And so is Mayor Todd," Dean added. "Who said that you of all people should know he wasn't a racist."

"He was a good man. He was a young deputy back then investigating Cyrus' disappearance. Once he figured out what Martin and the others had done he...he did nothing, because he also knew what Cyrus had done," Mrs. Robinson choked out.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Cassie asked tearfully.

"I thought I was protecting them," her mother replied. "Now there's no one left to protect."

"Yes there is," Dean replied, glancing at Cassie.

* * *

Leonara hummed _9 to 5_ off tune under her breath as she leaned against the Impala next to Sam until Kiran gave her a look that said her lack of singing talent wasn't appreciated. Dean was pacing back and forth like a man possessed and Lee could see that her twin was trying hard not to laugh. "Ah, my life was so simple. Just school, exams, papers on polycentric cultural norms," Sam said suddenly, grinning slightly.

"Well I guess I saved you from a boring existence," Dean said, not pausing in his pacing.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "Occasionally I miss normal."

"So this killer truck-" Dean started but his younger brother cut him off.

"I miss conversations that didn't start with 'this killer truck'." Kiran cracked up, Leonara giggled, and even Dean loosened up enough to laugh.

"Well this Cyrus guy. Evil on a level that infected even his truck. When he died, the swamp became his tomb, and his spirit was dormant for 40 years."

"What woke it up?" Sam asked even though they all thought they knew the answer.

"Mayor Todd tearing down Cyrus's old home," Dean answered.

"Right. Demolition or remodelling can awaken spirits, make them restless," Sam agreed. "Like that theatre in Illonois, ya know?"

"Or that old shack in Montana," Leonara piped up, smirking at Kiran's groan. The ghost in Montana had possessed Savannah, using their older sister to lure in unwary construction workers that were supposed to be in charge of the project. Their bodies were hanging in the shack when the two sisters and a possessed Savannah had entered it. The ghost inside Savannah had realized instantly that it had made a mistake and tried to kill them all with a broken stick of dynamite. Needless to say it hadn't been one of their better adventures. The Winchester boys exchanged confused glances but when they saw Kiran's sharp glare neither one of them was brave enough to ask.

"And the guy that tore down the family homestead, Harold Todd, is the same guy that kept Cyrus' murder quiet and unsolved," Dean continued instead.

"So now his spirit is awakened and out for blood," Sam finished.

"Which means we need to find that body," Kiran said with an almost eager look in her eye. Kiran had never been one for facts and research. Lee's twin preferred the hands on approach to hunting.

"Man," Sam complained and Leonara nodded in agreement.

"You said it," Dean concurred.

"Come on guys," Kiran said, rolling her eyes. "How hard can it be?" Cassie reached them all in time to hear their groans.

"What?" the woman asked. "Do I need to leave?"

"It's not you," Dean was quick to reassure her. "Kiran just cursed us." Cassie glanced over at Kiran and when the Ellis girl rolled her eyes they both laughed.

"She's in bed asleep," Cassie said, quickly turning serious as she referred to her mother. "Now what?"

"Well you should stay put and look after her. We'll be back," Dean told her. Then he added, almost as an after thought, "Don't leave the house."

"Don't go getting all authoritative on me. I hate it," Cassie said but she couldn't stop the smile from hooking around her mouth.

"Don't leave the house please," Dean tried and then kissed Cassie when she started blankly at him. Finally, after Sam's cleared throat, he broke the kiss and turned to the others. "You coming or what?"

* * *

Sam had given Dean directions until the truck was successfully pulled out of the swamp and now they talked, or rather Sam gave his older brother a hard time, while Kiran dragged her sister around the truck. "Can you see anything?" Kiran demanded, keeping a hand firmly on her sister's arm.

"Pushy much?" Leonara asked gently, not shoving her sister away as she stopped and closed her eyes, slowly releasing her power. Her eyes watered the instant she opened them, the entire truck bathed in silver light. "I hop that's just the body inside and he hasn't attached to the truck," she said softly and Kiran winced.

"_That_," her twin said, glancing around the dark swamp with trepidation. "Would be just our luck."

Dean opened the front door and Kiran scowled as a decaying body dropped with a dull thump to the ground. Sam salted and burned the thing and they watched as the corpse turned to foul smelling ashes.

"Think that'll do it?" Sam asked. That was when, as if on cue, a flare of silver so bright Leonara saw it even with her mental shields up flashed and the ghost truck appeared.

"Guess not," Dean said grimly.

"So burning the body had no effect?" Sam asked, sounding almost panicked.

"Sure it did," Dean replied sharply. "Now it's really pissed."

"But Cyrus' ghost is gone. Right Dean?"

"Not the part that's fused to the truck," Lee replied, glancing from the silver truck to the silvery ghost truck.

"Where are you going?" Sam asked as Dean walked toward the Impala.

"Going for a little ride," Dean replied.

"What?" Sam asked as Kiran made a shooing motion at her sister. Leonara fled into Kiran's open mind and followed Dean toward the Impala, giving Sam a reassuring smile.

"I'm going to lead it away," Dean replied. "Evidently with your girlfriend here. You and Kiran burn the truck."

"How the hell are we supposed to burn a truck?" Kiran and Sam retorted in unison but Dean had already jumped in the Impala and drove away with the ghost truck right on their heels. A moment later Sam's phone rang.

"You got a minute?" he asked, turning to Kiran and mouthing "Cassie?" Kiran yanked out her phone, searching for the number. "Let me get back to you?" she heard him say and then gaped as he hung up with his brother.

"Did you just?"

"Yes," Sam snapped. "Number." Kiran rattled it off and he dialed, telling her to pull out a map. "Hey Cassie, this is Sam. We have a little problem and need your help. Do you know where the burnt out church is? Thanks Cassie." Then he hung up, glancing quickly at the map of Cape Girardeau. He rattled off directions to Dean as Kiran paced and sweated. "It worked," Sam said finally and Kiran let out a sigh of relief. "You know you're going to be in over your head with him," Sam said suddenly and Kiran flushed bright red.

"I'll let Cassie have him," she retorted, willing the blush to vanish, but Sam just laughed.

* * *

They sat in the back of the Impala while Sam drove and Dean slept, both completely silent. The girls hadn't needed to say anything when they regrouped. A tight hug had been plenty to let Leonara know how worried her twin had been during the entire ordeal. Her mind had done the rest, showing flashes of terror and the edge of a panic attack the likes of which Leonara hadn't seen since she'd broke her arm the fall they turned fifteen. And Lee knew better than to comfort Kiran. The best she could do for her somewhat broken sister was to hang on as tight as she could for as long as she could and try not to remind Kiran more often than she had to that her twin would long outlive her. The road went on and two sisters sat in uneasy silence watching it move.


	9. Lay Me Down To Sleep

_This episode, another one of my own making and the only other one this season, is titled "Lay Me Down To Sleep" after a children's prayer that will be referenced in the story. Enjoy!_

* * *

_Karnak, Illinois_

"There's another body." Madeline's uncharacteristically solemn voice cut through their small two bedroom home in their current residence to the bathroom where her younger sister Salem was brushing through long dark hair. Two years apart, the sisters couldn't have looked more different. Twenty-three year old Madeline was barely five foot five with a mass of caramel colored curls and warm brown eyes. Twenty-one year old Salem was an inch taller with pin straight raven locks highlighted with a touch of her sister's caramel and the same brown eyes.

"Another child?" Salem asked, locking eyes with her older sister in the bathroom mirror. Madeline nodded, face uncharacteristically pale. Salem's face fell into a grim line at the nod. This would be the third child under six in the past week. Something was wrong here and neither girl could figure out. "We're going to need help then," Salem said softly, knowing her older sister would be hanging on to her every word. "Call Leonara." Madeline nodded, already reaching for her cell phone. They had work to do.

* * *

Kiran Ellis groaned when someone's cell phone rang in the hotel room, blearily trying to open her eyes. She heard Lee mumble something about people who weren't considerate enough to call at sane times and a clatter as her sister knocked something to the floor. Kiran cracked her eyelids, peering halfheartedly into the dark hotel room, too comfortable to move. "I've got it," she heard Sam say and she opened her eyes more to watch with sleepy amusement as he untangled himself from her sister to answer her phone. She heard Sam talk for a moment and felt a shift as Dean twisted slightly.

"Morning sweetheart." Kiran felt her cheeks flush red, even in her half asleep state, when it dawned on her that she had somehow ended up asleep with her head on Dean's chest. She tried to jerk upright but his hand on her shoulder stopped her and she was too out of it to try again.

"Who was it?" she mumbled when Lee hung up the phone, eyes drifting shut again.

"Madeline," came the calm reply.

"Salem missing again?" Kiran asked warily, halfway to awake again.

"No," Leonara replied grimly. "They're in Karnak, Illinois. Something's been taking children under the age of six from their beds." Kiran gaped soundlessly, whole body suddenly stiff with anger.

"How far away are we?" she finally managed to get out.

"Twelve hours," Leonara replied. They had been drifting since the phantom truck incident, trying to find another job that suited their taste. Kiran wasn't sure where they were at but twelve hours from Karnak, Illinois suddenly seemed far too long. Especially when there were children's lives at risk.

"We'll be there by two in the afternoon if we leave now," Sam said and Kiran sat up, already rolling out of bed.

"What are we waiting for then?" she snapped. "Let's go."

* * *

Karnak, Illinois was small enough that Leonara directed them to Madeline and Salem's house without any problems. The rusted blue truck that was sitting in the driveway was small enough that there was still room for the Impala, much to Dean's relief. Sam climbed out of the passenger seat, the girls sliding out of the back just as the door flew open. A slim girl with a mass of caramel colored hair launched herself past the boys and straight to Leonara who hugged her with a laugh. Kiran and the other girl, dark haired and looking amused, exchanged eye rolls. "Sam, Dean," Kiran drawled, expression exasperated. "Meet our cousins; Madeline-" she motioned to the caramel haired girl "-and Salem Cross."

"Nice to meet you," Madeline said with a brilliant smiled and Salem sighed.

"Yes, yes. Honored I'm sure," Salem drawled, sounding irritated. "Now can we get on with figuring out what's killing little kids." Madeline winced, shooting a glare at her sister and stalking past them all into the house. "Very impressive," Salem called after her sister. Whatever Madeline called back wasn't loud enough for Sam to hear but he was pretty sure it wasn't polite. Salem rolled her eyes and headed inside the house, leaving the door wide open for them to enter.

"If you have cousins that hunt," Dean began as they walked through the front door, Kiran pulling it shut behind them.

"Why don't you hunt with them?" Sam finished for his brother.

"Because Madeline and Kiran spend most of the time hating each other," Leonara explained with a smirk that made her look far too much like her sister. "Madeline is twenty-three and far too prone to hysterics when something goes wrong for Kaia's taste."

"No kidding," Salem called and Leonara rolled her eyes, slipping through a door into the kitchen. Sam and Dean gaped at the mess inside. Dirty dishes were stacked up high in the sink, the refrigerator door was gaping half open, and the sole garbage can was practically overflowing. The small kitchen table pressed back against the wall was covered with papers and paperback mythology books with broken spines gaping open to stick noted pages.

"Ok," Kiran said, leaning against the wall. "This is disgusting."

"Agreed," Leonara said, sighing with exasperation. "Salem, you and Maddy clean while the four of us look over your notes and see what we can figure out." Salem nodded, vanishing for a moment and returning with her sister as Leonara, Kiran, Sam, and Dean gathered up the notes and papers and headed into the living room. Twenty minutes later Salem was taking out the overflowing garbage and Sam was carefully setting aside the last mythology book.

"There's a lot of plausible options," he admitted reluctantly as Dean finished with the last of his assigned papers. "Some ghost girl that was kidnapped and is trying to show others what happened to her, maybe a wendigo that got smart and decided children were an easy target. Will-o-wisps lead children away and a shapeshifter could easily get through an open window."

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "I have no idea what we're looking for."

"Goblins," Kiran said, suddenly tossing the last of Salem's notes aside with a look of disgust.

"What?" Sam and Dean asked in unison but Leonara shot her twin a stern look.

"Are you sure?" she asked her twin.

"Yes," Kiran said, expression sickened. "It has their signature all over it. Missing children and the only one they found was bones and bite marks."

"You mean it's _eating_ children?" Sam asked, suddenly feeling sick, and Kiran nodded.

"There's a lot of goblin lore out there," Leonara explained as she fished a file folder out of her messenger bag, handing it to Kiran who began fishing through it. "Most of them are considered harmless but there's a few that are said to eat humans or kill people."

"Japanese _tengu_, Kol'ksu which is possibly where the mermaid legend came from, Greek _Kallikantzaros _which are mostly mischief makers with a limited timeline, and the Irish _Phooka_ to name a few," Kiran said, still flipping through the pages of the file.

"But you don't think it's any of those, do you?" Leonara asked, looking right at her sister.

"No," Kiran said grimly, stopping at a certain page. "I don't."

"Then what-" Dean began but Kiran cut him off.

"Redcap." Leonara hissed, eyes wide.

"Are you _sure_?" she asked her sister tightly.

"Yes," Kiran said grimly. "The timeline fits perfectly."

"Whoa, slow down," Sam said, holding his hands up to stop the sisters. "I thought redcaps were faeries, not a type of goblin."

"British folklore mixes everything up," Kiran explained without glancing up from the pages of handwritten notes she was pulling out of the file folder. "They put down goblins as a form of fae but they're really more closely related to wendigos than faeries. They can't cast any glamour, they live forever unless killed, they're solely meat eaters, and they're mostly unkillable. Furthermore goblins have scales, not actually skin, and they tend to live underground and hunt during the night."

"So what makes you so sure it's a redcap?" Sam asked as his older brother leaned back in his chair, content to let his sibling work out answers.

"The killing pattern," Kiran explained, handing the file back to her sister. "One thing folklore did get right is that they need to kill almost constantly, once every couple days, or they die but they don't have hats. Instead they bathe in the victim's blood which keeps their scales from falling off and basically skinning them alive."

"Folklore says you can quote the Bible to them and they flee," Dean spoke up. At Sam's strange look he snapped, "What? Dad and I were on a hunt and our contact was sure it was a redcap so we did some research. It ended up being a vengeful ghost instead but it never hurts to be prepared." Sam shrugged and turned back expectantly to Kiran.

"Salt burns them," Kiran said with a shrug. "Quoting a random Bible verse to them won't harm them but an old lady down in a bayou in Louisiana said an exorcism would work. Lee and I just never tried it."

"The last one we encountered was a Kol'ksu," Leonara explained. "We trapped it in a cove, salted it so the scales fell off and shot it. Then we burned the body and left."

"You mean you haven't ever seen a redcap?" Dean asked incredulously.

"I haven't," Leonara said with a shrug. "Kiran found one about a year ago while I was in the hospital with a broken ankle and Savannah was with me."

"They're fast," Kiran said grimly. "And I was lucky last time. It hadn't killed in a while and was losing it's scales so it got desperate and stupid."

"So how are we gonna catch it?" Dean asked.

"Easy," Salem spoke up from the doorway, making everyone in the room jump. "This one has a particular MO. I mentioned in my notes."

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I shall die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take," Kiran recited numbly.

"Yeah," Salem said grimly. "The little kids all go to the same church and they all learned the same prayer. Chances are they've all been saying it before bed."

"There was the man in Athens, Ohio that suggested they were a type of demon," Leonara said, glancing around the room. "We didn't believe it but there could be some kind of hatred there."

"It's the only explanation we have," Kiran said with a shrug. "Can you give us some kind of idea of who's next?"

"Maddy and I will work on it," Salem said, glancing around the room at the exhausted faces. "You guys get some rest. We'll wake you when we have something." She smiled slightly at the nods. Everyone around her was too tired from their three AM wake-up call to argue.

* * *

Kiran woke up gasping for the third time since she had curled up in Salem's bed and almost sobbed with exasperation. She was exhausted but the nightmares just kept coming and coming. Wave after wave of them washed over her, her mind creating a strange mixture of her kidnapping when she was twelve and all the most gruesome hunts she had experienced. She shuddered as her dream resurfaced and nausea threatened to drown her.

Kiran rolled clumsily from the bed and stumbled down the hall past the quietly debating Maddy and Salem. "Is something wrong?" she heard Maddy ask but she couldn't answer, just bolt shakily to the bathroom where she doubled up over the toilet and threw up half the contents of her stomach. Instantly Maddy was behind her, holding her hair away from her face and stroking her back. "Do you want me to wake Lee?" Maddy asked.

"No," Kiran mumbled out, convulsing again and pressing her head to the cool porcelain. She heard Salem and Maddy chat softly in half sentences and a moment later Salem left. The dark haired girl returned with company just in time for Kiran to vomit again and then lean her head back against the toilet, practically sobbing.

"What do you want _me_ to do?" she heard Dean hiss and would have groaned had she not started to retch again.

"Try and convince her to see her sister," Maddy interjected calmly.

"And why me?"

"Because waking up your brother would involve waking up Lee," Salem snapped. "Idiot."

"Ok, ok," Dean replied. "I've got it."

"Just leave me alone," Kiran snapped before retching again. Maddy jerked back in surprise and hurt and Kiran felt her hair drop back down to shield her from the world. She heard Maddy mutter something that sounded hurt and heard Salem gently pulling her sister away. Kiran didn't care. All she cared about was the sudden silence, the silence that meant she could fall apart in peace. Except that she couldn't

"You ok?"

"Go away," Kiran snarled at Dean, shoulders heaving slightly in an effort to keep the panic attack at bay. Each breath brought her closer to falling apart, becoming harsher and harder to suck in. Her heartbeat pounded jaggedly, an unfortunately effect of having less air. She flinched when a hand carefully pulled her hair back and another ran soothing circles against her shoulder. she clung to her self control for a moment longer and then reluctantly admitted to herself that the panic wasn't going away. Her body heaved and shuddered, sweat sticking the oversized shirt to her back as terror washed through her.

The attack lasted five minutes but it felt more like five hours when she finally slumped against the cool rim of the toilet, exhausted. She squeaked, startled, when she was picked up but she didn't have enough energy to insist that she could walk. Dean put her down carefully, pulling the covers over her and then settling down next to her. "Go 'way," she slurred tiredly, already feeling her eyes drift shut, but all she got in response was a light laugh before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Waking up felt like swimming upwards through molasses. Her shirt was sticking to her skin and her muscles felt stiff and squished. Kiran stretched and then smirked when she noticed Dean was sound asleep next to her. The smirk faded a moment later when she remembered why he was there. There had been another panic attack and after she had said she didn't want them to wake Lee her cousins had roused Dean. She bit back a groan and nudged Dean lightly in the ribs, yelping in surprise when moments later there was a knife pressed against her throat. "Now I know why Sam doesn't like waking you up," she mumbled as she watched reality sink in and the knife vanish. "Where exactly did you pull that from?"

"I went back and grabbed it after you fell asleep," Dean said with a shrug. "So, about earlier-"

"We're not talking about it," Kiran snipped, sliding out of bed. "Besides we have work to do." Dean didn't argue. In fact when she turned back around he was already gone. Kiran forced down the pang of regret in her chest, reminding herself that she had a habit of picking the bad ones. After Ethan none of her boyfriends had been as good as they seemed, all breaking her heart in one way or another.

"You ready to work?" Lee asked, standing inside the doorway. There was a second question already in her sister's eyes but whatever Lee saw or heard in Kiran's mind stopped her from asking it.

"We have a target?" Kiran asked eagerly, thoughts of the elder Winchester brother washed away by anticipation for the coming hunt.

"We do," Lee replied. "Maddy even managed to convince the parents to let us camp out on the roof."

* * *

The night was cool but not quiet cold enough for jackets. Dean settled against the chimney glancing around the corner to catch a glimpse of Kiran who was settled on the far left peak of the roof as if she owned it. She was confidant and calm, a predator waiting for her prey to show, and it was entirely like his last experience with her. He still remembered the tremors running down her spine from the panic attack and the sound of her gasps. Even with her near constant fear of the dark, the same fear that had her sister settled next to her, she hadn't seemed that panicked. Now she was as calm as she got at night, eyes scanning the darkness below. "Anything?" Sam called around the group and got various shushing noises in return. Sam settled back down in his spot, flashing a grin at Dean before turning to survey the darkness. That was when they all heard it, a strange scratching noise like claws on brick. Muscles stiffened and eyes scanned the area around them.

"Got it," Salem's triumphant voice broke out and Dean shot to his feet, spinning around only to hear Salem let out a hoarse cry and see a slithering shape streak by him. Sam made a grab for it and missed. The creature changed direction and blurred past Dean who also missed it. Redcap or not it was _fast_, faster than most creatures he'd done battle with over the years. Leonara lunged for it and although she missed it changed direction again. Kiran didn't miss. She had vanished the moment the creature had appeared and now she reappeared, snatching a scaly arm. She yelped as it darted for the edge of the roof and Dean caught her around the waist.

"Exorcism?" he questioned in a strained voice as the goblin flailed about, almost dragging them both down. Leonara spat out the exorcism, Sam sinking with her after the first couple words. The Redcap shrieked, glowing brightly enough so that Dean could see the blood reflecting off murky brown-black-green scales. The glow blazed brighter for a moment and the Redcap screamed before scales fell in a shower to the pavement. For a moment Dean thought they had it. Then it lunged upward, slicing sickle like claws across Kiran's arm deep enough that she lost her grip on it. It landed on the pavement as smoothly as a cat and all but slithered off into the night.

"Well crap," Kiran said after a moment of silence and Dean tugged her back on to the roof. Salem let out a tired little giggle, shaking out silky black hair and sweeping it back into a ponytail.

"We'll have to find its lair then," Leonara said with a heavy sigh.

"Lair?" Salem questioned and at the same time Dean snapped, "Whoa, wait a minute!"

"What?" Kiran asked impatiently, already looking in the direction the Redcap had run off.

"Find its lair?" Dean asked. "Why don't we just wait a couple days until it recovers and comes back?"

"Because it won't come back," Leonara said patiently.

"Redcaps aren't your garden variety serial killers," Kiran added. "If they almost get caught they wait a couple days and change their entire MO. It could be almost a month before we pick up this sucker again."

"So what do we need to do?" Sam asked, trying to defuse the situation before it exploded into a full blown fight like conversations between Kiran and Dean tended to do.

"Wait till morning and track it to whatever slimy cave its hiding in and kill it," Leonara said grimly. "We don't have any other choice."

* * *

"Man when you said slimy I thought you were _kidding_." Leonara closed her eyes for a moment and silently counted to ten before continuing to crawl through the narrow tunnel. Mud and water were soaking through her sneakers and into her hair which had long come loose from its ponytail. Regretfully she decided she should have allowed Kiran to french braid her hair. She could see her sister up ahead, muscles tensed with irritation over Dean's whining and hair still perfectly braided though slightly dirty from the root covered ceiling brushing against their heads.

"Yes Dean," Kiran snapped, continuing to crawl down the tunnel lit intermittently by tiny holes the Redcap had poked into the dirt with its sickle like claws to allow air into the tunnel. "When Lee said slimy she meant _slimy_."

"Let me guess," Dean drawled from the back of their group. "It gets worse."

"Always," Salem, who was behind Lee, chimed in sync with Kiran. Leonara couldn't help but giggle and Dean groaned. They kept crawling, Sam muttering every couple minutes when he hit his head yet again against the roof of the tunnel. Then Kiran yelped and the sound of grinding dirt brought Leonara to a halt. Just in time as it happened because the ground gave out ahead of her. There was a hollow thud as Kiran hit the ground below, somewhere in the darkness, and then silence. Panic was suddenly a live thing thudding in Leonara's chest.

"Kaia?" she called down, trying to ignore the fact that her voice rose with panic at the end of her sister's name.

She heard a hoarse cough after a moment that relaxed her muscles and then Kiran said, "Fine. Give me a minute to move and then jump down. It isn't far." Lee waited until she heard the shuffle of movement and then dropped down feet first, landing in a feline like crouch, hands braced on the ground for support. Flashlights came out and she caught a glimpse of a muddy and disgruntled looking Kiran. Her hair was finally coming out of the perfect braid she'd done earlier in the morning and her breath hitched a little when she peered into the darkness. There were three tunnels branching off from the main cave, two wide and one small enough that they'd have to crawl again.

"Split up?" Sam asked, glancing around the group. There were nods and then a long moment of pause as everyone glanced around the group, trying to decide how they were going to split up.

"Right," Salem suddenly chirped, heading for the widest tunnel at the far right.

"Middle," Leonara broke in, leaving Kiran sighing with exasperation and staring mournfully at the smallest tunnel on the far left. Salem was already gone, vanishing with her flashlight into the murky depths of the right tunnel, and Leonara heard Sam follow her down the middle tunnel. That meant Dean was already following Kiran. "Oh Lord," Leonara mumbled under her breath. "There's not going to be a tunnel left when those two get finished." Sam just laughed behind her and Leonara shook her head, making her way forward with a spring in her step.

* * *

Kiran absolutely _hated_ the dark. Shuddering and clutching the spare flashlight and crawled the rest of the way out of the tunnel and slammed head first into something that was all blood and silky blonde hair. She bit down a scream, jerking back and sinking to the ground, only to jump up again as she felt blood coat her clothing. If Leonara had been there maybe she would have made some comment about liking her clothes but now all she could let out was a harsh whimper. There was blood everywhere. Normally Kiran could handle that but this was the blood of little children and that about broke her. She whimpered and then heard the scratch of claws against rock. She tensed, searching for the Redcap they'd hurt last night, and then her eyes widened at what she saw. She screamed as she caught a flash of scales, crying out the first name that came into her head before she crashed to the ground with ten pounds of goblins crashing on to her that felt like ten thousand and black raced across her vision as she felt the world fade away.

* * *

_"DEAN!"_ The scream snapped his head around and sent him sprinting back the wider tunnel. He scrambled out into the opening that had split he and Kiran up and was faced with a whirl of scales and sickle like claws that came out of the other tunnel. Dean did the only thing that came reflexively; he swung the flashlight. It clobbered the goblin in the head, sending it sprawling, and spit out the exorcism as quickly as he could manage. The creature shrieked, scales falling in a muddy looking shower, and he shot it through the heart. He only stayed long enough to watch the light go out of its glowing eyes and it crumple to the ground before he was shoving his way into the almost too small tunnel Kiran had vanished into.

He came out into a clump of blonde hair a blood. The floor of the cave was coated in blood, the walls painted with it in crude shapes drawn by thin claws. Dean made a disgusted sound and then made his way past the swinging scalps hanging from the ceiling, the bastard Redcap had _scalped _them, and into the wide chamber. Two bodies hung lifelessly from the ceiling. One was the tiny frame of a three year old boy with dark, dark hair. The other figure, still as death, was Kiran Ellis.

She moved thankfully when he reached up to cut the ropes. Redcaps weren't tall, thankfully, so he could reach the ropes but Kiran couldn't quite touch the floor. As he started slicing Kiran thrashed, eyes snapping open with a panicked gleam to them. "It's okay," he reassured her, bringing down an arm to slip around his waist. "It's just me." There was a shuddering sigh and then her voice saying his name in an uncertain way that reminded him of a six year old Sam after particularly bad nightmares. "Yeah," he told her, sawing at the surprisingly thick rope. "It's me." She yelped when the rope snapped and she tumbled down, Dean easily catching her. She clung to him, breath coming in hoarse, dry sobs and arms clinging tighter to him when he tried to let her go. "It's okay," he said again, unsure what to do.

Kiran tried to say something but all that came out was another dry sob mangled with some word he didn't understand. "How'd that sucker find rope anyway? It's not like it could just walk into the nearest hardware store and-" He cut himself off as Kiran's hand dug painfully tight into his shoulder and her eyes gazed up at him, pained and terrified.

"Not rope," she managed out between harsh breath, finally swinging her feet to the ground but keeping her arms clinging to him. "Hair." Slowly, almost warily, Dean slid a hand up her spine, feeling for the long tresses that were always there. They were gone. Painfully he raised his head toward the ceiling and saw the glimmer of blonde. The Redcap had trussed her up with her own hair.

For a moment they stood together, Kiran trembling and clinging to him like he was a life raft in the middle of a raging ocean. Then he finally said, "Your hair's gonna need trimmed up after this." For a long moment of silence he thought he'd said something wrong. Then Kiran laughed weakly, her old loosening on him. "Come," he said, keeping an arm around her but steering her toward the tunnel. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

Coaxing Kiran through the tunnels had taken close to two hours but Dean had managed it and found Leonara, Salem, and Sam waiting for them. They had quickly killed the injured one and left for sunlight after calling down the tiny tunnel Dean and Kiran had gone down, assuming that they had heard and were coming. It had been up to Dean to explain what had happened since Kiran with her newly short hair was still clinging to him though her shaking had subsided in the brilliant wash of sunlight. Now she was sleeping stretched out on the couch while they planned their next move. Her hair had been neatly trimmed by Madeline, who did seem to have one useful talent, and it lay in a flaxen halo around her face, reaching just to her chin. It was going to take some getting used to. Kiran mumbled in her sheet, twisting slightly under the blanket, and her hand dropped out to land on his shoulder as he leaned back against the couch. He reached up to brush it with his own and she sighed once, relaxing and drifting back to silent sleep again as the noises of people cleaning up and packing continued on around them.


	10. Nightmare

_Bay City, Michigan_

The pounding on the door was just about loud enough to raise the dead. Leonara rolled out of bed and headed for the door, only pausing to grab the gun out from under her pillow. Kiran groaned, but Lee knew that if she sensed trouble her sister would be up in a minute. Instead of trouble it was Sam standing at the door looking as close to frantic as she'd ever seen him. "We have to go!" he spit out with almost no spaces and darted off before she could ask why. Lee turned to look at her twin and almost doubled over at the utterly mystified look on Kiran's face.

_"Oh..kayy_," Kiran drawled, rolling out of bed and running a hand through her now chin length hair. Lee shrugged when she could finally stop laughing and they both turned to get ready to go.

* * *

The ride to Saginaw, Michigan had driven her crazy. Sam was panicking about a nightmare that he thought was coming true while Dean and Lee tried to calm him down. Kiran found her knee bouncing as a nervous twitch during the fifty minute drive. Finally they arrived only to find disaster. A crowd was already gathered around the home. Kiran winced at the EMS vehicle, lights flashing, that was parked outside as two paramedics carried a body bag toward it. Even as Sam and Dean made their way into the crowd to ask questions she already knew Jim Miller was dead.

"We were too late." Leonara's voice nearly made Kiran jump out of her skin.

"Yeah," she replied when her heartbeat finally slowed down. "We were. Jeez, Lee."

"What?" Leonara asked, turning to looking at her twin with a confused expression on her face.

"Don't sneak up on people like that!"

"Especially in the dark," Lee said with a tender smile.

"Oh shut up and go comfort your boyfriend," Kiran said, shoving her sister lightly in the shoulder. Lee let out a silvery little laugh and then headed over to join Sam, reaching up to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. Once she had Sam's attention she led him off to the side away from the crowd. Dean came over to join Kiran and they watched the crowd silently. Ever since Dean's resurrection that had led to a case that led to Kiran pretty much attempting to kill herself to save Dean, things had grown steadily closer to awkward between the two of them."He's blaming himself, isn't he?" Kiran asked, turning to look at Dean only to find him studying her. It was a fight to keep her face from flushing.

"Yeah," Dean said after a moment, gaze finally moving past her to Sam. "He is. Hopefully Lee can talk him out of it."

"She will," Kiran said, turning her gaze to Sam too. "Eventually." Kiran knew from experience that Leonara was like a dog with a bone with pointless self guilt. She would wear at you until you gave up.

"We'll try to talk to them in the morning," Dean said when Sam and Leonara rejoined them. "The girls can do some research while we're gone and see if there's any history of supernatural at the house." Sam nodded, looking tired and guilty, and slipped into the Impala.

* * *

Kiran woke up the next morning feeling strangely alone. The four of them had combined resources to get a room for the night, it had been a while since they'd been able to hustle pool or get a short term job, and Kiran and Dean had shared a bed, shoving a couple extra pillows between them before drifting off to sleep. She woke up with her head on one of the middle pillows and sunlight streaming in through a window. "The boys left a couple hours ago," Leonara said as Kiran stared blankly at the ceiling. "They should be back soon."

"Kay," Kiran muttered back and rolled out of bed and heading for the shower. Twenty minutes later she was feeling more like herself and the Winchesters were back. "Find anything?" Kiran asked, stepping out of the bathroom in fresh clothing, her hair still damp from the shower.

"Nothing," Dean said, rolling his eyes and sinking down on their shared bed. They both turned expectantly to Lee who snickered at their synchronized movement.

"Nothing on this end either," she admitted. "Nothing bad has happened at the Miller house since it was built and it wasn't built on any sacred burial ground, battle field, or killing site."

"Hey man, I told you," Dean said at Sam's sigh. "I searched the house. No cold spots. Nothing."

"And the family said everything was normal?" Kiran asked, glancing between the two brothers.

"Yeah," Dean replied. "Well, if there was a demon or poltergeist in there you think somebody would have noticed something? I used the infer-red thermal scanner man, and there was nothing."

"So what?" Sam asked sharply. "You think Jim Miller killed himself and my dream was just some sort of freakish coincidence?"

"I don't know," Dean said with a shrug. "I'm pretty sure there's nothing supernatural about that house."

"I don't think there's anything supernatural about this case," Kiran said dryly. She was gifted with three annoyed looks. "_What?_"

"For a hunter of all things supernatural you're quite a skeptic," Dean drawled.

"I can't help it," Kiran shot back. "Just like you can't help being an egotistical jerk."

"Ouch," Dean said, lifting a dramatic hand to his chest. "You wound me." Then he turned to Sam. "You were saying Sammy?"

"Maybe it's nothing to do with the house," Sam said, rubbing his temples. "Maybe it's...gosh...maybe it's something to do with Jim."

"What's wrong with you?" Dean asked, shooting Sam a worried look.

"Ahh," Sam moaned, sliding off the bed to the floor. "My head!" . ?docid=30247690Dean scrambled over to his brother, trying to get his attention. Leonara rubbed her hand in soothing circles on his back. Kiran watched his face with a strange sense of fascination, watching as horror and fear flashed across his features before he finally focused on Dean. "It's going to happen again," Sam said dully. "Something's going to kill Roger Miller?"

* * *

"So was Sam right?" Leonara shot Kiran an aggravated look as she hung up the cell phone.

"Yes," she said after a moment of glaring at her sister who clearly already knew the answer. "They got there just in time for Sam's vision to come true." Kiran nodded once and went back to folding her freshly washed and dried clothes. While the boys had gone to investigate Sam's latest vision, Lee had called Maddy and Salem and Kiran had taken advantage of the hotel they were at having a washer and dryer.

"So," Kiran said after a long moment of silence. "Premonitions. Interesting gift."

Leonara scowled at the wall when she heard her sister's sly tone. "Not like Allison," she said flatly. Allison McCan had been an eleven year old with the gift of Premonitions. She was also completely crazy. "Sam's nothing like Allison."

"Keep telling yourself that," Kiran said coldly. Leonara growled and whirled on her twin.

"It's like you don't want me to have a happy life! Like just because every time you have a boyfriend he's a total jerk means I can't have a good one!" Kiran jerked as if her head had been slapped, looking pained. Then she whirled and, in the typical Kiran way of dealing with things, fled out through the door, slamming it behind her. Leonara let out a hurt little keen and slumped bonelessly to the floor. She'd done it again. Hurt Kiran and driven her off.

When Savannah had still been alive Leonara had been the peacemaker. Always the one to stop the arguments in their tracks, she'd rarely said anything that might hurt one of her sisters. When Savannah had died Kiran had gone right on snarking with Dean so Leonara had gone on playing peacemaker. Then she'd fallen in love with Sam and she'd changed. She wasn't content any longer to play peacemaker all the time but that wasn't entirely it. She'd also stopped reading all her sister's cues or questioning Kiran's motives. Like why her twin was even mentioning Allison.

Allison and Kiran got along fine. Kaia may have been moody and sarcastic but she wasn't one to pick a fight with a little girl; even one as crazy as Allison. The thing was, Allison scared Kiran. Leonara understood the fear in a way. If someone had looked at her the first time they met and said, "You're only going to find love twice in your life. The rest of them will make you miserable," she would have been creeped out too. From that moment on Kiran had treated Allison like a rabid raccoon; with respect and distance. Most of the time even the mention of Allison would have sent Kiran running for the next room until the conversation was over. Probably Kiran was just presenting a possible outcome to Lee. More likely she had been trying to make a joke and Leonara hadn't let her finish. Leonara sighed and stood, walking over and beginning to fold Kiran's laundry. Her sister would calm down and come back eventually. She hoped.

* * *

By the time Dean parked the Impala in the hotel parking lot Sam had nearly worried himself to distraction with theories about what was happening to the Miller family. Dean slid out of the vehicle, Sam stepping out on the other side, and glanced around the parking lot in habit. A flash of blonde hair caught his attention and he turned fully to see Kiran sitting slumped against a tree near the other side of the parking lot. Sam followed his gaze and then arched his eyebrows suggestively at his older brother when Dean finally looked at him. "You go tell Lee the newest theory," Dean said. "I'm gonna go see what's wrong with Kiran." Sam nodded once and headed for the hotel room. Dean watched his brother long enough to assure himself that Sam could actually get into the room before heading across the parking lot.

"So, enjoying the nightlife?" he drawled when he got close to her.

"Shut up," came the sullen reply.

"As if," Dean shot back. Kiran just shrugged. not even glancing at him. This was going to be harder than Dean had expected. He sighed and sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Obviously not. Otherwise you wouldn't be slumped out here." Kiran huffed out a sigh but didn't respond. "Come on, spill."

"So it's okay to have a chick flick moment if it's with a girl?" Kiran shot.

"Obviously," Dean said mildly, not rising to the bait. They sat in silence for a moment, Kiran looking down at the ground.

"Fine," she said after a moment. "I opened my mouth. Happy now?"

"Opened your mouth?" Dean asked, mystified.

"Lee and I know a little girl named Allison. She can see the future," Kiran said heavily. "She's crazy. I accidentally compared her to Sam."

"Sam isn't going to go crazy," Dean said as confidently as he could. "But Lee and Sam might if they see us out here talking civilly." Kiran cracked a smile and stood. Dean stood too, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Let's head in and get some sleep. Everything will look better in the morning."

* * *

The morning was not actually better. After a mostly sleepless night, tossing and fretting, Kiran's head pounded. "Hey." Lee's voice cut into her headache, making her groan. "We're going to talk to Max and the neighbors. Want to come?"

"No," Kiran groaned and heard Leonara giggle. "I wanna sleep."

"Sleep well then," she heard her sister say and then she drifted off to sleep.

She woke up abruptly when the door opened, jerking her glock out from under her pillow and then blinking as a solemn procession entered the hotel room. "What happened?" she asked, glancing from face to face. Sam looked away from her, Lee squeezed his hand and looked down, but Dean met her eyes head on.

"It was the son, Max," Dean answered after a moment. "He was telekinetic. Sam talked him down from killing Mrs. Miller but Max shot himself."

"Oh," Kiran said, suddenly feeling lost. "I'm sorry." Sam shot her a sad smile and Lee nodded once at her in affirmation.

"Pack up," Dean said, already headed for his bag. "Cause we're gonna blow this joint!" Kiran laughed, Sam smiled, and Leonara stood on her tip toes to kiss her boyfriend's check before she headed for the bathroom.


End file.
